Pilot Debrief

Piper PA22 near Culpeper, VA — 2020-07-10

Final reportERA20CA248
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Date
2020-07-10
Location
Culpeper, VA, USA
Airport
CJR
Aircraft
Piper PA22
Registration
N8103C
Category
Airplane
Highest injury
None
Fatalities
0

Probable cause

The pilot’s failure to maintain directional control on landing resulting in a runway excursion and subsequent ground loop. Contributing to the outcome were the flight instructor’s inadequate remedial actions.

Contributing factors

Contributing to the outcome were the flight instructor’s inadequate remedial actions.

NTSB narrative

The private pilot/owner had recently purchased the tailwheel-equipped airplane, and while he had prior experience flying other tailwheel airplanes and had no prior experience in the accident airplane make and model. The purpose of accident flight was to gain experience while flying with a flight instructor. The pilot was flying in the left seat, which was the only seat equipped with wheel brakes, and the flight instructor was flying in the right seat. After an uneventful flight in the airport traffic pattern, the pilot approached the runway and touched down on the main landing gear. Shortly after the tailwheel touched down the airplane began drifting to the left. The pilot’s rudder inputs were ineffective in correcting the drift and the flight instructor assumed control of the airplane. The flight instructor reported that as he applied right rudder, the pilot applied braking forces that neutralized the flight instructor’s rudder inputs. The pilot eventually let go of the brakes after the airplane departed the left side of the runway, and with full right rudder still being applied by the flight instructor, the airplane veered back onto the runway. The airplane subsequently ground looped and the left main landing gear collapsed. The left wing and the fuselage were substantially damaged. Neither pilot reported any mechanical malfunctions or failures of the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

NTSB coding

Evidence available

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

Docket documents3

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