- Date
- September 30, 2008, 16:30 local (23:30 UTC)
- Place
- Spokane, WA
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N10402Laird LC-1B-300
- Defining event
- Landing-landing roll: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report November 10, 2008
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20080930848049A
- Case key
- 69217
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 misjudged landing flare that resulted in a hard landing. A contributing factor was the impact related failure of the tail wheel spring attachment bolts due to overload, which resulted in a ground loop.
Findings · 3
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The pilot stated that the airplane bounced and became airborne after landing firmly on the runway. As the airplane settled back onto the runway it veered to the left despite his control inputs. The airplane subsequently veered off the runway and ground looped. Examination of the airplane revealed that the left and right wings were structurally damaged. The tail wheel rudder spring attachment bolts were found separated and were located on the runway. The fracture surfaces of the bolts were consistent with overload. The pilot reported no pre accident anomalies with the flight control system.
Factual narrative
The pilot stated that the airplane bounced and became airborne after landing firmly on the runway. As the airplane settled back onto the runway it veered to the left despite his control inputs. The airplane subsequently veered off the runway and ground looped. Examination of the airplane revealed that the left and right wings were structurally damaged. The tail wheel rudder spring attachment bolts were found separated and were located on the runway. The fracture surfaces of the bolts were consistent with overload. The pilot reported no pre accident anomalies with the flight control system.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N10402
- Reported as
- Laird LC-1B-300
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 188
- Airframe hours
- 1,700
- Engine
- Wright 975E-1, 365 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Howard Larry E
- Registered owner
- Howard Larry E
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · March 11, 2008 · 25 hours before
- Departed
- WN92 · Spokane, WA
- Destination
- WN92 · Spokane, WA
- Airport
- SFF · Felts Field Airport, runway 21L, 3,059 × 75 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
- 62
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine sea
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- September 4, 2008
- Seat
- Rear
- Flight hours
- 2,063 total · 20 in this make and model · 20 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 81 °F, dew point 46 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.07 inHg
- Observed at
- SFF
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.