Canadian Car & Foundry HARVARD N99CV

Summary

On 11 July 2016 at about 16:30 local time, a Canadian Car & Foundry HARVARD registered N99CV was involved in an accident near Somerset, Kentucky, United States. 2 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

11 July 2016 at 16:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Somerset, Kentucky, United States

Nearest airport

Lake Cumberland Rgnl (SME)

Coordinates

37.0547, -84.6144

Aircraft

Canadian Car & Foundry HARVARD

Registration

N99CV

Category

Airplane

Year built

1952

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

New Philadelphia → Somerset

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

GAA16CA373

Nobody was injured.

The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during the landing roll, which resulted in runway excursion, and collision with an airport sign.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot of the tailwheel equipped airplane reported that during the landing roll, and after the tail wheel touched down, the airplane swerved to the right, then to the left, and veered off the runway to the right and impacted an airport sign. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right aileron. Following a postaccident examination of the right/left main landing gear wheel, the pilot sent an email to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Inspector, regarding the Timken bearing for the main landing gear wheel, this email stated in part: "The bearing itself is a stock Timken 18200 bearing, nothing special. While jacked up the wheel turns fine by hand. And this is unlike any failed bearing I've seen. And getting close to a CND (cannot duplicate) condition. I think it is possible the bearing was in the process of failing. At touchdown speeds (approximately 60-80 knots) with little weight on wheels the bearing could lock up or freeze momentarily causing the aircraft to veer right". A photo of the Timken 18200 tapered roller bearing was sent to the manufacturer for further examination. The manufacturer examined the photo and concluded that there was no evidence of damage or scoring, and further reported that if the bearing would have seized, he would have expected to see damage to the rolling contact surfaces.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.