- Date
- August 8, 2002, 14:10 local (18:10 UTC)
- Place
- Merritt Island, FL
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N13HUAviat A1
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 6, 2002
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- FAA FSDO
- FAA report
- 20020808026379A
- Case key
- 55575
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 failure to maintain directional control during the landing rollout while landing in a crosswind which resulted in the airplane inadvertently veering off the runway and incurring damage when the pilot forced it into a ground loop to avoid entry into the water.
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 pilot stated that he had just landed the airplane in a strong crosswind, and during the landing rollout it veered to the right and he attempted to apply left brake control input to maintain directional control but he could not get sufficient braking effect. He said that the airplane was getting close to the water during the rollout so he forced it into a ground loop to avoid entry into the water, and the left wing contacted the ground, and was damaged.
Factual narrative
On August 8, 2002, about 1410 eastern daylight time, an Aviat Aircraft Inc. A1, N13HU, registered to and operated by Cruiser Of Florida Inc., as a Title 14 CFR Part 91 banner towing flight, veered off the runway while landing at Merritt Island, Florida. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed. The commercial-rated pilot received no injuries, and the airplane incurred substantial damage. The flight originated from Merritt Island, the same day, about 1230.
The pilot stated that he had just landed the airplane in a strong crosswind, and during the landing rollout it veered to the right. He further stated that as the airplane veered, he attempted to apply left brake control input to maintain directional control but he could not get sufficient braking effect. He said that the airplane was getting close to the water during the rollout so he forced it into a ground loop to avoid entry into the water, and the left wing contacted the ground, and was damaged. The pilot stated that the airplane had been damaged two previous times, and it may have been rigged incorrectly, but added that he had flown it for over 500 hours since, and it had always been difficult to handle in a crosswind.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N13HU
- Reported as
- Aviat A1
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 1323
- Airframe hours
- 691
- Engine
- Textron Lycoming O-36-A1P, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Other work use · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Cruiser of Florida Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · July 29, 2002 · 64 hours before
- Departed
- COI · Merrit Island, FL
- Airport
- COI · Merritt Island, runway 29, 3,601 × 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
- 50
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Last flight review
- July 28, 2001
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 4,542 total · 549 in this make and model · 4,301 as pilot in command · 190 in the last 90 days · 1 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 20° at 15 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 84 °F, dew point 73 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- MLB, 30 nm away
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 N13HU · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.