- Date
- November 8, 1997, 10:30 local (18:30 UTC)
- Place
- Los Angeles, CA
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N3232KGlobe GC-1B
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report January 28, 2000
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19971108040869A
- Case key
- 29994
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 loss of directional control due to an inadvertent ground loop resulting from a deflated tire.
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
During touchdown the right tire blew out. Despite application of full left brake, the pilot lost directional control and the airplane veered off the right side of the runway. Thereafter, the conventional main landing gear collapsed and the left wing broke upon contacting the runway. The FAA examined the airplane and reported observing that the right main tire had an 8-inch-long circumferential laceration in the center tread groove. No evidence of pronounced weather checking was observed. The tire was about 9 years old.
Factual narrative
On November 8, 1997, about 1030 hours Pacific standard time, a Globe GC 1-B, N3232K, owned and operated by the pilot, sustained substantial damage during a ground loop on runway 12 at the Whitman Airport, Los Angeles, California. Neither the private pilot nor the passenger was injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed during the local area personal flight which originated from the airport about 1010.
The pilot reported that during the normal touchdown the right tire blew out. Despite application of full left brake, directional control was lost and the airplane veered off the right side of the runway. Thereafter, the conventional main landing gear collapsed and the left wing broke upon contacting the runway.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) coordinator examined the airplane. According to the FAA, the right main tire had an unusual 8-inch cut in the center tread groove that was circumferential in nature. No evidence of pronounced weather checking was reported. The tire was about 9 years old.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N3232K
- Reported as
- Globe GC-1B
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 1225
- Airframe hours
- 2,040
- Engine
- Continental O-300A, 145 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Allan & Bonnie Erickson
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · April 12, 1997 · 22 hours before
- Departed
- WHP
- Destination
- WHP
- Airport
- WHP · Whitman, runway 12, 4,120 × 75 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
- 54
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 393 total · 224 in this make and model · 393 as pilot in command · 5 in the last 90 days · 1 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 15 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 79 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- WHP
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 N3232K · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.