- Date
- October 13, 2006, 13:25 local (21:25 UTC)
- Place
- San Diego, CA
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N467JFFinney Thorp T-18
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report February 26, 2007
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20061013029299A
- Case key
- 64714
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
the pilot's inadequate compensation for the crosswind conditions and failure to maintain directional control during landing.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The airplane ground looped during the landing rollout and the right wing was bent. The pilot reported that the approach and touchdown were normal, but he lost directional control during the rollout due to crosswind conditions. The pilot stated that there were no mechanical anomalies with the airplane.
Factual narrative
On October 13, 2006, about 1325 Pacific standard time, an experimental Finney Thorpe T-18, N467JF, ground looped after landing on runway 28L at Montgomery Field (MYF), San Diego, California. The private pilot/owner operated the airplane under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91 as a personal flight. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing. The pilot was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the local area flight. The airplane departed at an unknown time from MYF.
The National Transportation Safety Board investigator-in-charge (IIC) interviewed the pilot. The pilot reported that there was a direct crosswind of about 10-15 knots. He made a normal approach and landing. On the landing rollout, the airplane ground looped, and bent the right wing. The pilot stated that there were no mechanical anomalies with the airplane.
According to tower personnel, the airplane bounced on landing, porpoised down the runway, and struck the ground in a right wing low nose down attitude.
The recorded routine aviation weather report (METAR) issued for MYF at 1253 indicated: winds from 170 at 7 knots; visibility 10 statue miles; a scattered cloud layer at 6,000 feet; temperature 21 degrees Celsius; dew point 11 degrees Celsius; and altimeter 29.81 inches of Mercury (inHg). At 1325, the recorded winds were from 230 degrees at 9 knots. At 1353, the recorded winds were from 220 degrees at 11 knots.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N467JF
- Reported as
- Finney Thorp T-18
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- 467
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Departed
- MYF · San Diego, CA
- Destination
- MYF · San Diego, CA
- Airport
- MYF · Montgomery Field, runway 28L, 3,401 × 60 ft, asphalt
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 42
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2
- Flight hours
- 500 total · 100 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 170° at 7 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 70 °F, dew point 52 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.80 inHg
- Observed at
- MYF
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N467JF · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.