The National Transportation Safety Board did not travel to the scene of this accident.
Additional Participating Entity:
PLAINVILLE, Connecticut — A close call Thursday morning at Plainville's Robertson Airport.
Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Bradley, Connecticut
Investigation Docket - National Transportation Safety Board: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket
Skyraider A1E LLC
Location: Plainville, Connecticut
Accident Number: ERA22LA152
Date and Time: March 10, 2022, 12:00 Local
Registration: N91JB
Aircraft: AMERICAN CHAMPION AIRCRAFT 7GCBC
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Defining Event: Loss of control on ground
Injuries: 1 None
Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General aviation - Personal
Analysis
According to the pilot, the purpose of the flight was to practice wheel landings in the tailwheel equipped airplane. The third approach was normal, and the airplane touched down to the right of centerline of the runway. The pilot applied left rudder to maneuver the airplane onto the centerline and “inadvertently engaged” the toe brake, which resulted in a veer to the left. The pilot attempted to correct the turn; however, he “over corrected” and the airplane departed the right side of the runway into the grass. The airplane nosed over and came to rest inverted, which resulted in substantial damage to the fuselage and right wing. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with 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 during the landing roll.
Findings
Personnel issues Aircraft control - Pilot
Aircraft Directional control - Not attained/maintained
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
Landing-landing roll Nose over/nose down
Pilot Information
Certificate: Private
Age: 82, Male
Airplane Rating(s): Single-engine land
Seat Occupied: Front
Other Aircraft Rating(s): None
Restraint Used: 5-point
Instrument Rating(s): None
Second Pilot Present: No
Instructor Rating(s): None
Toxicology Performed:
Medical Certification: BasicMed Without waivers/limitations
Last FAA Medical Exam: March 5, 2019
Occupational Pilot: No
Last Flight Review or Equivalent: March 12, 2020
Flight Time: 974 hours (Total, all aircraft), 427 hours (Total, this make and model), 506 hours (Pilot In Command, all aircraft), 9 hours (Last 90 days, all aircraft), 5 hours (Last 30 days, all aircraft), 0.4 hours (Last 24 hours, all aircraft)
Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information
Aircraft Make: AMERICAN CHAMPION AIRCRAFT
Registration: N91JB
Model/Series: 7GCBC
Aircraft Category: Airplane
Year of Manufacture: 1998
Amateur Built:
Airworthiness Certificate: Aerobatic; Normal
Serial Number: 1251-98
Landing Gear Type: Tailwheel
Seats: 2
Date/Type of Last Inspection: February 17, 2022 Annual
Certified Max Gross Wt.:
Time Since Last Inspection: 3 Hrs
Engines: 1 Reciprocating
Airframe Total Time: 1245 Hrs at time of accident
Engine Manufacturer: Lycoming Engines
ELT: Installed
Engine Model/Series: O-320
Registered Owner:
Rated Power: 160 Horsepower
Operator: On file
Operating Certificate(s) Held: None
Meteorological Information and Flight Plan
Conditions at Accident Site: Visual (VMC)
Condition of Light: Day
Observation Facility, Elevation: HFD,13 ft msl
Distance from Accident Site: 10 Nautical Miles
Observation Time: 10:53 Local
Direction from Accident Site: 74°
Lowest Cloud Condition: Clear
Visibility: 10 miles
Lowest Ceiling: None
Visibility (RVR):
Wind Speed/Gusts: / Turbulence Type Forecast/Actual: /
Wind Direction:
Turbulence Severity Forecast/Actual: /
Altimeter Setting: 30.2 inches Hg
Temperature/Dew Point: 5°C / -1°C
Precipitation and Obscuration: No Obscuration; No Precipitation
Departure Point: Plainville, CT
Type of Flight Plan Filed: None
Destination: Plainville, CT
Type of Clearance: VFR
Departure Time:
Type of Airspace: Class E
Airport Information
Airport: Robertson Field Airport 4B8
Runway Surface Type: Asphalt
Airport Elevation: 201 ft msl
Runway Surface Condition: Dry
Runway Used: 20
IFR Approach: None
Runway Length/Width: 3665 ft / 75 ft
VFR Approach/Landing: Full stop; Traffic pattern
Wreckage and Impact Information
Crew Injuries: 1 None
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Passenger Injuries: N/A
Aircraft Fire: None
Ground Injuries: N/A
Aircraft Explosion: None
Total Injuries: 1 None
Latitude, Longitude: 41.689333,-72.864694(est)
Location: Plainville, Connecticut
Accident Number: ERA22LA152
Date and Time: March 10, 2022, 15:45 UTC
Registration: N91JB
Aircraft: AMERICAN CHAMPION AIRCRAFT 7GCBC
Injuries: 1 None
Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General aviation - Personal
Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information
Aircraft Make: AMERICAN CHAMPION AIRCRAFT
Registration: N91JB
Model/Series: 7GCBC
Aircraft Category: Airplane
Amateur Built:
Operator:
Operating Certificate(s) Held: None
Operator Designator Code:
Meteorological Information and Flight Plan
Conditions at Accident Site: VMC
Condition of Light: Day
Observation Facility, Elevation: HFD,13 ft msl
Observation Time: 10:53 Local
Distance from Accident Site: 10 Nautical Miles
Temperature/Dew Point: 5°C /-1°C
Lowest Cloud Condition: Clear
Wind Speed/Gusts, Direction: / ,
Lowest Ceiling: None
Visibility: 10 miles
Altimeter Setting: 30.2 inches Hg
Type of Flight Plan Filed:
Departure Point: Plainville, CT
Destination: Plainville, CT
Wreckage and Impact Information
Crew Injuries: 1 None
Aircraft Damage: Unknown
Passenger Injuries: N/A
Aircraft Fire: None
Ground Injuries: N/A
Aircraft Explosion: None
Total Injuries: 1 None
Latitude, Longitude: 41.689333,-72.864694 (est)
Just after 11:30 a.m., a single-engine plane flipped over nose first after landing at Robertson Airport. The pilot, the only person in the plane, escaped serious injury.
"It appears that the single-engine plane, after landing, veered off to the right-hand side (of the runway) onto a grassy area and then flipped over onto its roof," said Chief Chris Vanghele of the Plainville Police Department.
But why remains a question Vanghele could not answer.
"It could be something with the brakes. We don't know," he said.
The lone occupant, according to sources, was 81-year-old pilot Frank Dworak.
"He was transported to the hospital, which seems right now to be a very minor injuries," Vanghele added.
And he noted that it does not appear the pilot suffered a medical event.
"He was conscious and he was alert and talking while he was being extricated from the plane," the Chief said.
The FAA has not responded to FOX61's request for the pilot's flight plan and Robertson Airport officials declined to comment when asked if the plane is based at Robertson.
"The plane itself was made safe by the fire department and mechanics here to ensure that there is nothing flammable and no issues during the investigation," Vanghele said. "The skid marks in the grass are probably only about 50 to 60 feet long and then at you know when it dove nose-first the propeller hit and then the plane flipped over onto its roof."
The airport was closed to air traffic for several hours. The plane was carted away by investigators.
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