MIA05CA090

NTSB accident investigation · North American AT-6C · Lakeland, FL · April 14, 2005

Accident · No injuriesData collectionFinal report
Date
April 14, 2005, 18:15 local (23:15 UTC)
Place
Lakeland, FL
Injuries
2 uninjured
Damage
Substantial damage
Phase of flight
Landing
Aircraft
N7690UNorth American AT-6C
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Day
Status
Completed · report July 7, 2005
Report
Approved by Office Director
Parties
Orlando, Florida
FAA report
20050414006619A
Case key
61319

From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.

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Probable cause

The pilot's attempted turn off the runway at excessive speed, resulting in the right wing raising, the left wing touching the runway, and the left landing gear collapsing.

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.

Loss of control - on ground/waterLanding - roll
Airspeed - excessivePilot in commandCause
Ground loop/swerve - inadvertentPilot in command
Gear collapsedLanding - roll

Analysis

The pilot stated that the tower controller had asked whether he could make the first turnoff and said that he had too much speed as he attempted to make the turn. He said the right wing lifted and he could not correct it before the left wingtip impacted the ground. The airplane swerved hard to the right, and the left landing gear collapsed, bending the left wing. He said that prior to the accident there were no mechanical failures or malfunctions to the airplane or any of its systems.

Factual narrative

On April 14, 2005, about 1815 eastern daylight time, a North American AT-6C, registered to and operated by a private individual as a Title 14 CFR part 91 personal flight, incurred damage during the landing rollout at Lakeland, Florida. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed. The private-rated pilot and one passenger were not injured, and the airplane incurred substantial damage. The flight originated at Lakeland, Florida, the same day, about 1800.

The pilot stated that he was cleared to land, and on short final was asked by the tower controller whether he could make the first turnoff from runway 27L. He said the touchdown was normal, but he did not check his speed as he normally would, and thought his speed was slow enough to permit him to lower the tail, apply heavy braking, and make the turnoff. As he attempted the turn, he said that the right wing lifted, and his application of full control deflection did not correct the problem before the left wingtip impacted the ground. He said the airplane swerved hard to the right, and the left landing gear collapsed. The airplane slid to a stop, the propeller impacted the ground, and the left wing was bent. He said that prior to the accident there were no mechanical failures or malfunctions to the airplane or any of its systems.

Aircraft

Registration
N7690U
Reported as
North American AT-6C
Category
Airplane
Serial number
847653
Airframe hours
8,631
Engine
Pratt & Whitney R1340, 600 horsepower, reciprocating
Damage
Substantial damage
Flight
Personal · Part 91
Registered owner
Keith W. Moser
Airworthiness certificate
Standard, Normal
Last inspection
Annual · February 6, 2005 · 11 hours before
Departed
LAL · Lakeland, FL
Destination
LAL

Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

Role
Pilot
Age
56
Injuries
None
Certificate
Private
Airplane ratings
Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
Instrument ratings
Airplane
Medical
Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
Last flight review
March 29, 2005
Seat
Front
Flight hours
1,810 total · 467 in this make and model · 1,696 as pilot in command · 43 in the last 90 days · 35 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC) · Day
Wind
280° at 10 knots
Visibility
10 statute miles
Lowest ceiling
None
Temperature
75 °F, dew point 50 °F
Altimeter
29.80 inHg
Observed at
LAL

FAA reports on this event · 1

The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.