# NTSB WPR21LA125: Phillip B Rolls Pitts 12-EH, N54LM, Red Bluff, CA, March 8, 2021

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report
- Date: March 7, 2021, 17:30 local (Mar 8, 2021, 01:30 UTC)
- Place: Red Bluff, CA · 40.153294, -122.252913
- Coordinates: 40.1505, -122.2513
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.1505&lon=-122.2513&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: No injuries
- Injuries: 1 uninjured
- Status: Completed
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office: Western Pacific Region
- Parties: FSDO
- NTSB case key (mKey): 102732
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=WPR21LA125
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/102732/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=102732
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR21LA125

## Probable cause

The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during a landing, which resulted in a ground loop and subsequent nose over.

## Findings

NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause.

- [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Phillip B Rolls PITTS 12-EH, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=05636XI), [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md)
- [Performance/control parameters: directional control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Phillip B Rolls PITTS 12-EH, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020/cases.md?model=05636XI), [All aircraft, 3,958 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020/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: [Phillip B Rolls PITTS 12-EH, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230/sequence.md?model=05636XI), [All aircraft, 4,585 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230/sequence.md)

## Analysis

The pilot of the tailwheel equipped airplane reported that, the airplane touched down on the left main landing gear first. The airplane subsequently ground looped and nosed over coming to rest inverted. The left wing and vertical stabilizer were substantially damaged. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N54LM](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N54LM-2023-05-29), registration cancelled 2023-05-29, S/N 053, built 2001 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PHILLIP B ROLLS PITTS 12-EH
- Registry model: [Phillip B Rolls PITTS 12-EH](https://openairdocs.org/model/phillip-b-rolls-pitts-12-eh) (registry code 05636XI) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Pratt & Whitney R-985 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/pratt-whitney-r-985-series) (registry code 52008, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number: 053
- Year built: 2001
- Airframe hours: 118.1
- Engines: P&W R-985 SERIES 450 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection: Condition, December 14, 2020, 1 hours before
- Destination: Same as departure
- Airport: RBL, Red Bluff Municipal, runway 33, 5,431 × 100 ft, asphalt
- Equipment: None

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 59; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: basicmed, without waivers/limitations; last flight review September 1, 2019; seat: rear; restraint: 4-point; flight hours: 767.2 total, 8.4 in this make and model, 685.2 as pilot in command, 12 in the last 90 days, 6.4 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 10° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 64 °F, dew point 32 °F
- Altimeter: 30.04 inHg
- Observed at: KRBL
- METAR: SA	07/03/2021 22:54->	METAR KRBL 072254Z AUTO 01006KT 10SM CLR 18/00 A3004 RMK AO2 SLP171 T01830000 $=

## 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 20210307003199A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20210307003199A), Mar 7, 2021: Phillip B Rolls PITTS 12-EH, Red Bluff, CA, Substantial damage. Evidence of the wreckage from N54LM indicates that the bi-wing aircraft attempted to land on runway 33 at the Red Bluff airport. Damage shows that the bottom…

## Docket (2 files)

The files NTSB released with the investigation on September 1, 2021, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=102732. 3.3 MB in all.

- Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 9 pages, 2.6 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=12452315&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=04022021101115_Redacted-Rel.pdf
- Photos (item 2, PDF, 3 pages, 3 photos, 749 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=12460971&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=WPR21LA125-Rel.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.

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