Loss of Control on Ground: Piper PA-22-135, N8103C; accident occurred July 10, 2020 at Culpeper Regional Airport (KCJR), Virginia

Aviation Accident Final Report - National Transportation Safety Board

Additional Participating Entity:

Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Dulles, Virginia

Investigation Docket - National Transportation Safety Board:

https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket

https://registry.faa.gov/N8103C

Location: Culpeper, Virginia 

Accident Number: ERA20CA248

Date & Time: July 10, 2020, 10:25 Local

Registration: N8103C

Aircraft: Piper PA22 

Aircraft Damage: Substantial

Defining Event: Loss of control on ground 

Injuries: 2 None

Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General aviation - Instructional

Analysis

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.

Probable Cause and Findings

The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident to be:

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.

Findings

Personnel issues Aircraft control - Pilot

Aircraft Directional control - Not attained/maintained

Personnel issues (general) - Instructor/check pilot

Factual Information

History of Flight

Landing-landing roll Loss of control on ground (Defining event)

Landing-landing roll Attempted remediation/recovery

Landing-landing roll Runway excursion

Pilot Information

Certificate: Private 

Age: 67, Male

Airplane Rating(s): Single-engine land 

Seat Occupied: Left

Other Aircraft Rating(s): None

Restraint Used: Lap only

Instrument Rating(s): None

Second Pilot Present: Yes

Instructor Rating(s): None

Toxicology Performed: No

Medical Certification: Class 3 None

Last FAA Medical Exam: August 17, 2018

Occupational Pilot: No Last Flight Review or Equivalent: September 6, 2018

Flight Time: 510 hours (Total, all aircraft), 1 hours (Total, this make and model), 435 hours (Pilot In Command, all aircraft), 1 hours (Last 90 days, all aircraft), 1 hours (Last 30 days, all aircraft), 1 hours (Last 24 hours, all aircraft)

Flight instructor Information

Certificate: Commercial 

Age: 47,Male

Airplane Rating(s): Single-engine land; Multi-engine land

Seat Occupied: Right

Other Aircraft Rating(s): 

Restraint Used: Lap only

Instrument Rating(s): Airplane 

Second Pilot Present: Yes

Instructor Rating(s): Instrument airplane

Toxicology Performed: No

Medical Certification: Class 2 With waivers/limitations

Last FAA Medical Exam:

Occupational Pilot: Yes 

Last Flight Review or Equivalent: May 1, 2019

Flight Time: (Estimated) 5200 hours (Total, all aircraft), 15 hours (Total, this make and model)

Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information

Aircraft Make: Piper

Registration: N8103C

Model/Series: PA22 135

Aircraft Category: Airplane

Year of Manufacture: 1954 

Amateur Built: No

Airworthiness Certificate: Normal

Serial Number: 22-2249

Landing Gear Type: Tailwheel

Seats: 4

Date/Type of Last Inspection: November 30, 2019 Annual 

Certified Max Gross Wt.: 1951 lbs

Time Since Last Inspection: 

Engines: 1 Reciprocating

Airframe Total Time: 4285 Hrs at time of accident 

Engine Manufacturer: Lycoming

ELT: C126 installed, not activated

Engine Model/Series: O-290 SERIES

Registered Owner: 

Rated Power: 135 Horsepower

Operator: 

Operating Certificate(s) Held: None

Meteorological Information and Flight Plan

Conditions at Accident Site: Visual (VMC) 

Condition of Light: Day

Observation Facility, Elevation: CJR,315 ft msl

Distance from Accident Site: 1 Nautical Miles

Observation Time: 10:15 Local 

Direction from Accident Site:

Lowest Cloud Condition: 

Visibility: 10 miles

Lowest Ceiling: Broken / 2100 ft AGL

Visibility (RVR):

Wind Speed/Gusts: 6 knots / 

Turbulence Type Forecast/Actual: None / None

Wind Direction: 350° 

Turbulence Severity Forecast/Actual: N/A / N/A

Altimeter Setting: 29.88 inches Hg 

Temperature/Dew Point: 28°C / 21°C

Precipitation and Obscuration: No Obscuration; No Precipitation

Departure Point: Culpeper, VA (CJR) 

Type of Flight Plan Filed: None

Destination: Culpeper, VA (CJR)

Type of Clearance: None

Departure Time: 10:20 Local 

Type of Airspace: Class G

Airport Information

Airport: Culpeper Rgnl CJR

Runway Surface Type: Asphalt

Airport Elevation: 315 ft msl 

Runway Surface Condition: Dry

Runway Used: 04 

IFR Approach: None

Runway Length/Width: 5000 ft / 100 ft

VFR Approach/Landing: Traffic pattern

Wreckage and Impact Information

Crew Injuries: 2 None 

Aircraft Damage: Substantial

Passenger Injuries:

Aircraft Fire: None

Ground Injuries: N/A 

Aircraft Explosion: None

Total Injuries: 2 None

Latitude, Longitude: 38.525554,-77.859725(est)