Piper PA-18 N7601P

Summary

On 29 June 2006 at about 14:10 local time, a Piper PA-18 registered N7601P, operated by George D. Kirby, was involved in an accident near Orlando, Florida, United States. 2 people were on board and one had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

29 June 2006 at 14:10

Classification

Accident

Location

Orlando, Florida, United States

Nearest airport

Orlando Executive (KORL)

Coordinates

28.5456, -81.3331

Aircraft

Piper PA-18

Registration

N7601P

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

George D. Kirby

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Orlando → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ANC06LA081

1 person had minor injuries.

The pilot's failure to maintain control of the airplane during the landing roll, which resulted in a on-ground encounter with the runway, and subsequent nose over. A factor contributing to the accident was an inadvertent ground loop.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

The private certificated pilot was landing a tundra tire-equipped airplane on an asphalt surfaced runway during a Title 14, CFR Part 91 flight with a 5 knot wind from the right. During the landing roll, the airplane abruptly veered to the right, and the pilot applied left rudder. The airplane then veered abruptly to the left. He applied engine power to straighten the airplane, and it lifted off the runway. The pilot landed the airplane, and it once again veered abruptly to the right. Upon application of left rudder, the airplane sharply veered left, and nosed over on the runway. The airplane received damage to the wings, the wing lift struts, the vertical stabilizer, and rudder. The pilot said that the wind conditions were not sufficient to have produced the abrupt heading changes that he experienced. He reported that a mechanic examined the tailwheel and found that it possibly was binding. A Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector reported that an examination of the airplane did not reveal any mechanical malfunction.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.