Pilot Debrief

Gerald Dan Coppock Bade-E near Escanaba, MI — 2018-08-02

Final reportCEN18LA307
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Date
2018-08-02
Location
Escanaba, MI, USA
Airport
ESC
Aircraft
Gerald Dan Coppock Bade-E
Registration
N142NV
Category
Airplane
Highest injury
None
Fatalities
0
Phase of flight
Landing

Probable cause

The loss of control during the landing rollout for reasons that could not be determined based on the available evidence, which resulted in a ground loop and runway excursion.

NTSB narrative

The pilot was landing the experimental, amateur-built, tailwheel-equipped airplane on a dry runway. During the rollout, the airplane veered to the left when the tailwheel was lowered to the runway. Both wingtips contacted the runway surface; the airplane ground looped and exited the runway, which resulted in substantial damage to the forward section of the fuselage. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed that the right steering cable chain was broken and hanging from the tailwheel. It could not be determined if the cable broke before or during the accident sequence.

Analysis

Primary failure mode
Loss of control
First missed decision gate
Pilot could have aborted landing when directional control was lost.

NTSB coding

Evidence available

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

Docket documents3

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