- Date
- September 3, 1993, 18:44 local (23:44 UTC)
- Place
- Greenwood, MS
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N2966MPiper PA-12
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report August 1, 1994
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19930903044739A
- Case key
- 37392
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
Operation of the airplane by the pilot-in-command/cfi with known deficiencies in equipment and the worn condition of the tailwheel assembly.
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
Before renting the airplane, the pic/cfi was advised by the owner that the airplane was difficult to taxi at low speeds. The pic/cfi stated this in the submitted written report. At the time of the accident the wind was from 350 degrees at 10 knots. Runway 36 was the active runway. The front seat pilot was flying the airplane. While landing after the tail wheel contacted the runway, the empennage swung to the left. The pilot flying the airplane applied full left rudder, brake, and aileron inputs but the airplane ground looped to the right damaging the left wing. Examination of the tailwheel assembly by an FAA certificated mechanic revealed that a bolt which secures the tailwheel assembly to the fuselage was severely worn. Review of the airplane logbooks revealed that the airplane had accumulated about 121 hours since the 100 hour inspection which was performed on may 7, 1993.
Factual narrative
On September 3, 1993, about 1844 central daylight time, a Piper PA-12, N2966M, registered to Christopher T. Carter, experienced loss of control during the landing roll at the Greenwood-Leflore Airport, Greenwood, Mississippi, while on a 14 CFR Part 91 instructional flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed for the local flight. The airplane was substantially damaged and the certified flight instructor (CFI) and pilot-rated student were not injured. The flight originated about 10 minutes earlier.
The CFI who was in the rear seat stated that his son was flying the airplane. At the time of the accident the wind was 10 degrees to the left of the centerline of the runway at 10 knots. His son performed a normal wheel landing and after the tailwheel contacted the runway, the empennage swung to the left. His son applied full left rudder, brake and aileron inputs but the airplane ground looped damaging the left wing. He further stated that he was advised by the owner before he rented the airplane that it was difficult to taxi at low speed which he verified while taxiing the airplane.
Examination of the tailwheel assembly by an FAA certificated mechanic revealed that the mounting bolt which secures the tailwheel assembly to the springs then the fuselage was severely worn.
Review of the airplane records revealed that the airplane had accumulated about 121 hours since the last 100-hour inspection, which was performed on May 7, 1993.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N2966M
- Reported as
- Piper PA-12
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 12-1360
- Airframe hours
- 12,907
- Engine
- Lycoming O-290-D2, 135 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Carter, Christopher T.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal; Standard, Utility
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · May 7, 1993 · 121 hours before
- Airport
- GWO · Greenwood-Leflore, runway 36, 6,503 × 150 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
- 56
- Certificates
- Commercial, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Rear
- Flight hours
- 3,000 total · 4 in this make and model · 4 in the last 90 days · 4 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 350° at 10 knots
- Visibility
- 7 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 82 °F, dew point 68 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- GWO
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 N2966M · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.