# NTSB WPR09LA354: Leider T-18, N37GL, Carson City, NV, July 18, 2009 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: July 18, 2009, 11:00 local (18:00 UTC) - Place: Carson City, NV - Coordinates: 39.192222, -119.734443 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.1922&lon=-119.7344&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Landing-landing roll: Loss of control on ground](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230) - Highest injury: Serious injuries - Injuries: 1 serious, 1 minor - Status: Completed, report March 16, 2011 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Western Pacific Region - Parties: FAA FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 74312 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=WPR09LA354 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/74312/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=74312 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR09LA354 ## Probable cause The pilot’s failure to maintain directional control during landing. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Performance/control parameters: directional control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [All aircraft, 3,958 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020/cases.md) - [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Landing-landing roll: Loss of control on ground](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230) (defining event); cases with it: [All aircraft, 4,585 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230/sequence.md) - [Landing-landing roll: Runway excursion](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300); cases with it: [All aircraft, 3,643 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300/sequence.md) ## Analysis The right-seat pilot reported that, after an ocal flight, his father, the left-seat pilot, conducted an uneventful traffic pattern and approach. He noted that as the airplane touched down it seemed to skip to the right. The right-seat pilot stated that he could feel the left-seat pilot attempt to turn off of the runway at the gas pit; however, the airplane made a sharp right turn and exited the runway, coming to rest inverted. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation. ## Factual narrative On July 18, 2009, about 1100 Pacific daylight time, an experimental Leider Thorp T-18, N37GL, ground looped during the landing rollout, and came to rest inverted at Carson Airport (CXP), Carson City, Nevada. The pilot/owner operated the airplane under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. The private pilot/owner was seriously injured, and the certificated private pilot-passenger received minor injuries. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the tail section. The flight had originated from CXP at 1005 for the local area flight. The written statement submitted by the certificated private pilot-passenger stated that he was seated in the right seat. His father, the pilot/owner, was seated in the left seat, and was manipulating the flight controls at the time of the accident. The right-seated pilot stated that they were landing on runway 27. The right-seated pilot reported that after the local area flight, the left-seated pilot flew an uneventful traffic pattern and approach. As the airplane touched down it seemed “squirrelly skipping to the right.” The right-seated pilot stated that he thought his dad was going to turn off the runway at the gas pit, but the airplane veered sharply to the right into the grass and then flipped over. He also reported that there were no mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine prior to the accident. The right-seated pilot further reported that the accident could have been prevented if he had been manipulating the flight controls along with the pilot. Both of the pilots held lapsed medical certificates. The left-seated pilot’s last biannual flight review was approximately 4 years ago; It was also reported that the second pilot had not flown the accident airplane for approximately 8 months prior to the accident. It was not known when the right-seated passenger/pilot's last biannual flight review was conducted. ## Aircraft - Registration: N37GL (not matched to a registry record) - Reported make and model: Leider T-18 - Category: Airplane, amateur-built - Serial number: 2000 - Engines: Lycoming O-360 180 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Operator: George K. Leider - Registered owner: George K. Leider - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special) - Departed: CXP, Carson City, NV - Destination: CXP, Carson City, NV - Airport: CXP, Carson City, runway 27, 6,100 × 75 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Co-pilot; age 78; injuries: serious; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, with waivers/limitations; seat: left; flight hours: 1,000 total - Pilot; age 52; injuries: minor; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, without waivers/limitations; seat: right; flight hours: 265 total ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: variable at 3 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 90 °F, dew point 39 °F - Altimeter: 30.18 inHg - Observed at: RNO, 19 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 20090718013529A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20090718013529A), Jul 18, 2009: Leider LEIDERTHORPT, Carson City, NV, Substantial damage. (-23) During landing on runway 27, the thorp T18, veered off the right side of the runway. The aircraft flipped over and came to rest inverted, 30 feet off… ## Docket (2 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on December 20, 2010, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=74312. 413 KB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 374 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40337138&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.PDF - Passenger Statement (item 2, .PDF, 39 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40337139&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Passenger%20Statement-Redacted.PDF 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.