# NTSB LAX97LA162: North American SNJ-5, N9013A, Mesa, AZ, April 17, 1997 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: April 17, 1997, 09:36 local (16:36 UTC) - Place: Mesa, AZ - Location: 33.4608° N, 111.7283° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs at FALCON FLD (FFZ), within about a mile (OpenAirDocs) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.4608&lon=-111.7283&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report May 21, 1998 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 29774 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=LAX97LA162 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/29774/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX97LA162 ## Probable cause The pilot's inadequate compensation for the crosswind condition, and his failure to maintain directional control during landing. Factors related to the accident were: the crosswind, and the pilot's inadvertent unlocking of the tail wheel during a wheel landing. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of control - on ground/water, landing - roll - weather condition - crosswind (contributing factor) - tailwheel lock - inadvertent deactivation, pilot in command (contributing factor) - compensation for wind conditions - inadequate, pilot in command (cause) - directional control - not maintained, pilot in command (cause) - ground loop/swerve - inadvertent, pilot in command - Gear collapsed, landing - roll - terrain condition - soft - landing gear,main gear strut - overload ## Analysis The pilot stated that there were buildings adjacent to the runway that occluded the surface wind such that there was no apparent crosswind at touchdown. However, as the tail wheel came down, wind from between the buildings caused the airplane to swerve suddenly to the right and depart the runway surface into soft dirt, where the right main gear dug in and broke off. He further stated that in this model, the tail wheel unlocks by pushing the control stick forward. Since a wheel landing was made, he thought that he may have pushed the stick forward enough to unlock the tail wheel and then did not get it back into the relock range before encountering the sudden onset of the crosswind. ## Factual narrative On April 17, 1997, at 0936 hours mountain standard time, a North American SNJ-5, N9013A, ground looped after landing at Falcon Field, Mesa, Arizona. The airplane sustained substantial damage, and there were no injuries to the airline transport pilot or the passenger. At the time, the tower reported a 90-degree crosswind from the right. The flight departed Falcon Field at 0915 hours on a local area personal flight. No flight plan was filed and visual meteorological conditions prevailed. The pilot stated that there were some buildings adjacent to the landing runway that were obstructing the surface wind such that there was no noticeable crosswind at touchdown. However, as the tail wheel touched down, wind from between the buildings caused the airplane to suddenly weathervane to the right and depart the hard surface runway into soft dirt where the right main gear dug in and broke away from the airframe. The pilot further stated that in this model, the tail wheel is unlocked by moving the control stick forward. Since he made a wheel landing, he thought that he may have pushed the stick forward enough to unlock the tail wheel and then did not get it back into the relock range before encountering the sudden onset of the crosswind. ## Aircraft - Registration: N9013A (not matched to a registry record) - Reported make and model: North American SNJ-5 - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 90868 - Airframe hours: 13567 - Engines: P&W R-1340-AN-1 600 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: Edward E Malone - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, September 20, 1996, 130 hours before - Departed: FFZ - Airport: FFZ, Falcon Field, runway 4R, 5,100 × 100 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 61; flight engineer, airline transport, flight instructor; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine sea, multi-engine sea, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: front; flight hours: 30,000 total, 300 in this make and model, 17,000 as pilot in command, 27 in the last 90 days, 10 in the last 30 days, 2 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 140° at 12 knots, gusting 5 - Visibility: 50 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 79 °F, dew point 23 °F - Altimeter: 30.00 inHg - Observed at: FFZ ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 19970417006049A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19970417006049A), Apr 17, 1997: Namer SNJ5, Mesa, AZ, Substantial damage. Weathervaned into crosswind landing. Ground looped. Exited runway. Inadvertently unlocked tailwheel on wheel landin From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.