- Date
- October 12, 2010, 16:40 local (23:40 UTC)
- Place
- Palm Springs, CA
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N66940Boeing A75N1(PT17)
- Defining event
- Landing-landing roll: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report March 16, 2011
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Western Pacific Region
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20101012050619A
- Case key
- 77566
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 failure to maintain directional control during landing, resulting in a ground loop.
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 pilot stated that during landing, the airplane encountered a crosswind. The left wingtip touched the runway and the airplane ground looped. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions with the airplane. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed damage to the left aileron and a wing rib. Approximately 15 minutes after the accident, the wind was reported from 130 degrees at 4 knots.
Factual narrative
The pilot was landing the tail wheel-equipped airplane on runway 31R. The pilot stated that during the landing, he encountered a crosswind, the left wingtip touched the runway, and the airplane ground looped. The pilot did not report any mechanical malfunctions. Post accident examination of the airplane revealed damage to the left aileron and a wing rib. Approximately 15 minutes after the accident, the wind was reported from 130 degrees at 4 knots.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N66940
- Reported as
- Boeing A75N1(PT17)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 75-4716
- Airframe hours
- 6,000
- Engine
- Pratt and Whitney R-985 SERIES, 450 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Kent Thomas
- Registered owner
- Kent Thomas
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · June 20, 2010
- Departed
- PSP · Palm Springs, CA
- Destination
- PSP · Palm Springs, CA
- Flight plan
- Unknown
- Airport
- PSP · Palm Springs In't Airport, runway 31R, 4,952 × 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
- 56
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- September 1, 2010
- Seat
- Rear
- Flight hours
- 1,650 total · 30 in this make and model · 40 in the last 90 days · 30 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 130° at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 100 °F, dew point 41 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.87 inHg
- Observed at
- PSP
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on November 5, 2010, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 2.5 MB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.