- Date
- April 8, 2010, 15:30 local (22:30 UTC)
- Place
- Apple Valley, CA
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N217ATMathis Melvin R Bushby Mustang II
- Defining event
- Landing-landing roll: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report August 12, 2010
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Western Pacific Region
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20100408033179A
- Case key
- 75745
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 CFI's inability to overcome the improper control inputs of the private pilot, who was handling the flight controls, which resulted in their loss of directional control during landing.
Findings · 2
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 certified flight instructor (CFI) had previous experience flying the experimental, homebuilt airplane. He offered to provide the prospective airplane purchaser with a familiarization flight that included stalls and landings. The CFI demonstrated a couple of stalls to the student, who held a private pilot certificate and a tailwheel endorsement, and they then practiced landings. The CFI reported that he was monitoring the pilot's performance while the pilot was handling the controls. The CFI stated that the pilot's first landing was not satisfactorily performed, and the pilot almost lost control of the conventional gear airplane during rollout. The pilot reported that he had difficulty controlling the throttle, the design of which was unfamiliar to him. The pilot's second approach and 3-point touchdown appeared to be satisfactory; however, after the airplane rolled several hundred feet, the private pilot suddenly and abruptly applied left and right rudder pressure while moving the flight controls erratically. The CFI joined the pilot on the flight controls in an attempt at maintaining control. The CFI could not overcome the inputs of the private pilot and directional control was lost. The airplane's divergent rollout course was not corrected and the airplane exited off the left side of the runway and ground-looped. The airplane came to rest with collapsed landing gear and a bent wing.
Factual narrative
The certified flight instructor (CFI) had previous experience flying the experimental, homebuilt, model of airplane. He offered to provide the prospective airplane purchaser with a familiarization flight that included stalls and landings. The CFI demonstrated a couple of stalls to the student, who held a private pilot certificate and a tail wheel endorsement. Thereafter, landings were practiced. The CFI reported that he was monitoring the pilot's performance while the pilot was handling the controls. The CFI stated that the pilot's first landing was not satisfactorily performed, and the pilot almost lost control of the conventional gear airplane during rollout. The pilot's second approach and 3-point touchdown appeared satisfactory. However, after the airplane rolled several hundred feet, the private pilot suddenly and abruptly applied left and right rudder pressure while moving the flight controls erratically. The CFI joined the pilot on the flight controls in an attempt at maintaining control. The CFI could not overcome the erratic inputs of the private pilot, and directional control was lost. The airplane's divergent rollout course was not corrected and the airplane exited off the left side of the runway and ground looped. The airplane came to rest with collapsed landing gear and a bent wing.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N217AT
- Reported as
- Mathis Melvin R Bushby Mustang II
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- 168
- Airframe hours
- 50
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-320, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · January 1, 2010
- Departed
- APV · Apple Valley, CA
- Destination
- APV · Apple Valley, CA
- Airport
- APV · Apple Valley, runway 18, 6,498 × 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 · 2
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Flight instructor
- Age
- 73
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- December 18, 2009
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 8,500 total · 20 in this make and model · 8,300 as pilot in command · 27 in the last 90 days · 12 in the last 30 days
- Role
- Student pilot
- Age
- 48
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- October 28, 2008
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 750 total · 2 in this make and model · 700 as pilot in command · 30 in the last 90 days · 10 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 300° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on May 11, 2010, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.