Heinlein George GH125 N79GH

Summary

On 8 February 2018 at about 20:00 local time, a Heinlein George GH125 registered N79GH was involved in an accident near Valkaria, Florida, United States. One person was 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

8 February 2018 at 20:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Valkaria, Florida, United States

Nearest airport

Valkaria (X59)

Coordinates

27.9614, -80.5597

Aircraft

Heinlein George GH125

Registration

N79GH

Category

Airplane

Year built

1993

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Valkaria → Valkaria

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

GAA18CA182

Nobody was injured.

The pilot’s decision to exit the paved runway into soft terrain, which resulted in a ground loop and landing gear collapse.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot reported that, after landing the tailwheel-equipped airplane, he exited the runway as soon as possible due to student traffic in the pattern. The runway had no parallel taxiway, and he underestimated the softness of the terrain next to the runway. He added that the right main landing gear dug in, the airplane ground looped, the right main landing gear collapsed, and the airplane came to rest nose-down. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot reported that he should have stayed on the paved runway until reaching the taxiway exit.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.