- Date
- August 5, 2006, 11:30 local (18:30 UTC)
- Place
- Port Angeles, WA
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N347JPPiggott Bearhawk
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report November 29, 2006
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- FAA FSDO
- FAA report
- 20060805015029A
- Case key
- 64305
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 loss of directional control as a result of the disconnected tail wheel steering system, which led to an inadvertent ground loop during the landing roll.
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 said that he had done several stop-and-go landings; he then made a full stop for a respite. When he taxied out for his next departure on runway 08, he experienced no steering problems. As he took off, the airplane vibrated briefly. The pilot performed another landing and had a firm touchdown. He said the aircraft immediately veered left and full right rudder had no effect. He said that his feet had slipped off the aircraft's toe brakes during the landing, so differential braking was not possible. The right main landing gear collapsed, and the right wing and aileron were bent. Postaccident examination of the tail wheel assembly revealed that the clevis which connected the left tail wheel spring to the wheel's steering arm was missing. Additionally, serpentine skid marks where found on the runway that appeared to be the result of a tailwheel shimmy. The pilot reported that the wind during his first landing was from 350 degrees at 6 knots.
Factual narrative
On August 5, 2006, at approximately 1130 Pacific daylight time, a Piggott Bearhawk experimental homebuilt airplane, N347JP, was substantially damaged during a ground loop event while landing at William R. Fairchild International Airport (CLM), Port Angeles, Washington. The airline transport pilot, the sole occupant on board, was not injured. The airplane was being operated under Title 14 CFR Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the personal local flight which had originated approximately 5 minutes before the accident. The pilot had not filed a flight plan.
The pilot said that he had done several stop-and-go landings; he then made a full stop for a respite. When he taxied out for his next departure on runway 08, he experienced no steering problems. As he took off, the airplane vibrated briefly. The pilot performed another landing and had a firm touch down. He said the aircraft immediately veered left and full right rudder had no effect. He said that his feet had slipped off the aircraft's toe brakes during the landing, so differential braking was not possible. The right main landing gear collapsed, and the right wing and aileron were bent.
Postaccident examination of the tail wheel assembly revealed that the clevis which connected the left tail wheel spring to the wheel's steering arm was missing. Additionally, serpentine skid marks were found on the runway that appeared to be the result of a tail wheel shimmy. The pilot reported that the wind during his first landing was from 350 degrees at 6 knots.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N347JP
- Reported as
- Piggott Bearhawk
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- 347
- Airframe hours
- 50
- Engine
- Lycoming O-540, 235 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Daniel E. Donovan
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Departed
- CLM · Port Angeles, WA
- Destination
- W28 · Sequim, WA
- Airport
- CLM · Fairchild Inter Arpt, runway 08, 6,347 × 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
- 72
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Commercial, Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- November 1, 2005
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 8,218 total · 4 in this make and model · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 350° at 6 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 66 °F, dew point 50 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.09 inHg
- Observed at
- CLM
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 N347JP · 2
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.