Pilot Debrief

RYAN AERONAUTICAL ST3KR near Norwalk, OH — 2012-06-08

Final reportCEN12LA369
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Date
2012-06-08
Location
Norwalk, OH, USA
Airport
K5A1
Aircraft
RYAN AERONAUTICAL ST3KR
Registration
N721R
Category
Airplane
Highest injury
None
Fatalities
0
Phase of flight
Landing

Probable cause

The pilot’s failure to maintain directional control of the airplane while landing in a crosswind.

NTSB narrative

The pilot reported that, upon touchdown, the tailwheel-equipped airplane's right brake "locked up" and the airplane then veered off the right side of the runway. The airplane struck a 3-foot-wide drainage ditch about 66 feet from the edge of the runway, which resulted in substantial damage to the left wing. The examination of the accident site revealed runway skid marks and a wingtip scrape, which indicated that the right wheel was not on the ground until shortly before it contacted the ditch. The right brake successfully passed the acceptance test procedure with no visual indication of fluid leakage around the piston. The pilot had 997 total flight hours with 1 hour logged in the accident airplane. The accident flight was the first flight he had in the airplane, and it was his first landing in the accident airplane. The surface weather observation at an airport located about 18 nautical miles from the accident site indicated the wind was 320 degrees at 9 knots. The airplane landed on the runway at 280 degrees, which indicates that a 6-knot crosswind existed at the time of the accident.

Analysis

Primary failure mode
Loss of control
First missed decision gate
Pilot could have aborted landing due to brake issue before touchdown.

NTSB coding

Evidence available

  • Photos
  • 5 docket documents
View NTSB final reportView NTSB docket

Docket documents5

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