# NTSB NYC01LA170: Taylorcraft F21B, N4418U, Simsbury, CT, July 12, 2001 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: July 12, 2001, 07:45 local (11:45 UTC) - Place: Simsbury, CT - Coordinates: 41.879554, -72.809524 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=41.8796&lon=-72.8095&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report June 4, 2002 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: FAA - NTSB case key (mKey): 52682 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=NYC01LA170 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/52682/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC01LA170 ## Probable cause **This report was modified on 2/24/2016. Refer to the public docket for this accident for additional details.** a loose tail wheel assembly and the failure of maintenance personnel to adequately follow annual inspection procedures. A factor in the accident was the crosswind. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of control - on ground/water, landing - roll - landing gear,tailwheel assembly - loose (cause) - weather condition - crosswind (contributing factor) - maintenance,annual inspection - inadequate, other maintenance personnel (cause) - Nose over, landing - roll ## Analysis According to the CFI, the private pilot was executing touch and go's on runway 03. During the third landing, after touchdown, the airplane's tailwheel began to "chatter." The airplane started to veer to the right and did not respond to left rudder or brake inputs by the CFI, who had taken over the controls. The airplane then departed the right side of the runway and nosed over. Examination of the airplane revealed that the high and low frequency anti-shimmy compression springs on the tailwheel assembly "had slack." The "slack" allowed for about 2 inches of rudder movement before the compression springs became effective. Review of the airplane's maintenance records revealed that it had seven annual inspections performed after the installation of the tailwheel assembly. The most recent annual inspection was conducted about four months prior to the accident, and the airplane had accumulated about 15 hours of operation since. According to FAA regulations, Appendix D of Part 43, Scope And Detail Of Items To Be Included In Annual And 100-Hour Inspections, each person performing an annual or 100-hour inspection shall inspect all units of the landing gear group for poor condition and insecurity of attachment. The winds reported at a nearby airport, about the time of the accident, were from 320 degrees at 10 knots. ## Factual narrative On July 12, 2001, about 0745 eastern daylight time, a Taylorcraft F21B, N4418U, was substantially damaged while landing at the Simsbury Airport, Simsbury, Connecticut. The certificated flight instructor (CFI) and private pilot were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed for the local instructional flight conducted under 14 CFR Part 91.According to the CFI, the private pilot was executing touch and go's on runway 03, a 2,205-foot long, 50-foot wide, asphalt runway. During the third landing, after touchdown, the airplane's tailwheel began to "chatter." The airplane started to veer to the right and did not respond to left rudder or brake inputs by the CFI, who had taken over the controls. The airplane then departed the right side of the runway, where the left main landing gear wheel dug into the ground and the airplane nosed over. Examination of the airplane by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed that the high and low frequency anti-shimmy compression springs on the tailwheel assembly "had slack." The "slack" allowed for about 2 inches of rudder movement before the compression springs became effective. The inspector also observed that the rudder horn had "play," and could be rotated left or right. The two attach bolts for the rudder horn were in place; however, the lower bolt was loose, and the bolt holes were elongated. Review of the airplane's maintenance records revealed that it had seven annual inspections performed after the installation of the tailwheel assembly. The most recent annual inspection was conducted on March 4, 2001. The airplane had accumulated about 15 hours of operation since the annual inspection. According to FAA regulations, Appendix D of Part 43, Scope And Detail Of Items To Be Included In Annual And 100-Hour Inspections, each person performing an annual or 100-hour inspection shall inspect all units of the landing gear group for poor condition and insecurity of attachment. The winds reported at a nearby airport, about the time of the accident, were from 320 degrees at 10 knots. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N4418U](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N4418U), registered now, S/N F-1518 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Taylorcraft F21B - Registry model: [Taylorcraft F21B](https://openairdocs.org/model/taylorcraft-f21b) (registry code 8850909) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 1518 - Airframe hours: 453 - Engines: Lycoming O-235-L2C 118 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Registered owner: Flying Wolf Ltd. - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, March 4, 2001, 15 hours before - Departed: 4B9, Simsbury, CT - Destination: 4B9 - Airport: 4B9, Simsbury Airport, runway 03, 2,205 × 50 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Flight instructor; age 59; injuries: none; commercial, flight instructor; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land, single-engine sea; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; last flight review June 6, 2001; seat: right; flight hours: 8,650 total, 50 in this make and model, 8,600 as pilot in command, 100 in the last 90 days, 50 in the last 30 days, 2 in the last 24 hours - Pilot; age 34; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; last flight review December 15, 2000; seat: left; flight hours: 106 total, 24 in this make and model, 19 as pilot in command, 23 in the last 90 days, 12 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 320° at 10 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 68 °F, dew point 54 °F - Altimeter: 29.76 inHg - Observed at: BDL, 4 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 (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20010712015599A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20010712015599A), Jul 12, 2001: Tcraft F21B, Simsbury, CT, Substantial damage. (.19) On July 12, 2001, about 0745 eastern daylight time, a Taylorcraft F21B, N4418U, was substantially damaged while landing at the Simsbury Airport,… From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.