Pilot Debrief

EDSON ROBERT W PIETENPOL AIR CAMPER near Point Lookout, MO — 2012-06-21

Final reportCEN12CA399
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Date
2012-06-21
Location
Point Lookout, MO, USA
Airport
KPLK
Aircraft
EDSON ROBERT W PIETENPOL AIR CAMPER
Registration
N53WE
Category
Airplane
Highest injury
None
Fatalities
0

Probable cause

The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during landing, resulting in a ground-loop.

NTSB narrative

On the fourth landing of a test flight, the airplane made a hard, full-stall landing and began drifting to the right. The pilot applied left rudder pedal to arrest the drift, and the airplane ground looped 180 degrees to the left. The pilot applied right rudder to stop the left swing but to no avail. The right main landing gear went off the side of the runway and down a 2-foot dropoff. The right wing tip struck the ground, breaking the wing tip and front and rear wing spars. The airplane came to rest off the side of the runway.

NTSB coding

View NTSB final report

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