- Date
- April 2, 1995, 14:45 local (21:45 UTC)
- Place
- Klamath Falls, OR
- Injuries
- 4 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N8276CPiper PA-22
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report October 13, 1995
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19950402009289A
- Case key
- 42130
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-in-command's failure to maintain directional control during takeoff, resulting in a ground loop.
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, during takeoff in a Piper PA-22 which had been converted to tailwheel configuration, he was holding the yoke all the way back while adding power. As the airplane's speed increased, the pilot moved the yoke forward to raise the tail. Before the tail rose, the airplane ground looped to the left on the runway, causing substantial damage. The pilot told an FAA inspector that he had applied full rudder in an attempt to prevent the ground loop.
Factual narrative
On April 2, 1995, at 1445 hours Pacific daylight time, N8276C, a Piper PA-22 airplane with a tailwheel conversion, ground looped on takeoff in Klamath Falls, Oregon, and was substantially damaged. The private pilot and his three passengers were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and a flight plan had been filed. The personal flight was conducted under 14 CFR 91.
According to an FAA aviation safety inspector from Hillsboro, Oregon, the pilot stated that he held the control yoke all the way back while adding power for takeoff from runway 13 at the Klamath Falls International Airport. As the speed of the airplane increased, the pilot moved the yoke forward to raise the tail. Before the tail rose, the airplane ground looped to the left. The pilot also stated that he applied full rudder and no brakes in an attempt to prevent the ground loop. The left side of the fuselage and firewall structure were bent. An examination of the airplane by the FAA inspector did not reveal evidence of preimpact mechanical malfunction.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N8276C
- Reported as
- Piper PA-22
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 22-2352
- Airframe hours
- 4,042
- Engine
- Lycoming O-290-D2, 135 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Versterate, David W
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · March 1, 1995 · 21 hours before
- Destination
- S50 · Auburn, WA
- Flight plan
- VFR
- Airport
- LMT · Klamath Falls Int., runway 14, 10,301 × 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
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 906 total · 135 in this make and model · 803 as pilot in command · 43 in the last 90 days · 21 in the last 30 days · 5 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 100° at 5 knots, gusting 8
- Visibility
- 30 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 37 °F, dew point 27 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- LMT
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 N8276C · 3
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.