- Date
- April 7, 2006, 17:00 local (21:00 UTC)
- Place
- Tallahassee, FL
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N577CCCub Crafters CC18-180
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report October 3, 2006
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- FSDO
- FAA report
- 20060407011989A
- Case key
- 63546
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 making a crosswind landing in gusting conditions which resulted in an advertent ground loop and damage to the airplane.
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 his approach to land was normal, and there was about a 45-degree crosswind from the left. He said he landed the airplane on the centerline with a 3-point tailwheel landing, and began to decelerate. The airplane yawed quickly to the right about 45 degrees, and he said he corrected for the yaw and the airplane then yawed abruptly to the left. He applied right rudder control input but was unable to arrest the yawing motion, and the airplane spun around and ended up facing the approach end of the runway on the runway centerline. He said the airplane incurred damage to the right wing which struck the runway as the airplane spun to the left. Prior to the accident there had been no mechanical failures or malfunctions of the airplane or any of its systems.
Factual narrative
On April 7, 2006, about 1700 eastern daylight time, a Cub Crafters CC18-180 airplane, N577CC, registered to and operated by the University of North Dakota, as a Title 14 CFR Part 91 flight, ground looped upon landing at Tallahassee, Florida. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed. The commercial-rated flight instructor was not injured, and the airplane incurred substantial damage. The flight originated in Winter Haven, Florida, the same day, about 1500.
The pilot stated that his approach to land was normal, and there was about a 45-degree crosswind from the left. He said he landed the airplane on the centerline with a 3-point tailwheel landing, and began to decelerate. The airplane yawed quickly to the right about 45 degrees, and he corrected for the yaw, and then the airplane yawed abruptly to the left. He applied right rudder control input but was unable to arrest the yawing motion, and the airplane spun around, and ended up facing the approach end of the runway, on the runway centerline. He said the airplane incurred damage to the right wing, which struck the runway as the airplane spun to the left. Prior to the accident there had been no mechanical failures or malfunctions of the airplane or any of its systems.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N577CC
- Reported as
- Cub Crafters CC18-180
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- CC18-0004
- Airframe hours
- 25
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- University of North Dakota
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- GIF · Winter Haven, FL
- Destination
- TLH · Tallahassee, FL
- Airport
- TLH · Tallahassee Regional, runway 27, 8,000 × 150 ft, asphalt
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 35
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1
- Last flight review
- June 1, 2004
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 2,500 total · 32 in this make and model · 2,200 as pilot in command · 30 in the last 90 days · 15 in the last 30 days · 5 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 220° at 11 knots, gusting 16
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 81 °F, dew point 59 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.90 inHg
- Observed at
- TLH
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.