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CEN12CA607

2012-08-31 · Council Bluffs, Iowa, United States · None · 1 aircraft · Status: Completed

Airport CBF

Aircraft involved

Probable cause & findings

An unlocking of the excessively worn tailwheel lock mechanism, which resulted in a loss of directional control during landing.

Factual narrative

Immediately after liftoff the flight instructor simulated an engine failure and the pilot executed a rejected takeoff, landing on the runway remaining. When the tailwheel contacted the runway it began to "shimmy violently and disengaged the steering pin." The airplane veered to the left and the pilot was unable to stop the veer using right rudder and brake. The airplane exited the left side of the runway moving sideways to the right. The right main landing gear collapsed causing substantial damage to the right wing. An examination of the tailwheel mechanism showed excessive wear in both the locking collar hole and the drag links in the tailwheel assembly. Both pilots stated that they had locked the mechanism before takeoff and had good directional control of the airplane during the takeoff run. Immediately after liftoff, the flight instructor simulated an engine failure, and the pilot executed a rejected takeoff, landing on the remaining runway. When the tailwheel contacted the runway, it began to "shimmy violently and disengaged the steering pin." The airplane veered to the left, and the pilot was unable to stop the veer using the right rudder and brake. The airplane exited the left side of the runway while moving sideways to the right. The right main landing gear collapsed, resulting in substantial damage to the right wing. An examination of the tailwheel mechanism showed excessive wear in both the locking collar hole and the drag links in the tailwheel assembly. It was likely that the locking pin had become retracted from the locking collar on the tailwheel at some time during the takeoff or during the landing. Both pilots stated that they had locked the mechanism before takeoff and had good directional control of the airplane during the takeoff run. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database Retrieved: 2026-02-12

NTSB Findings

FAA avdata. C = Cause, F = Factor.

  • C Aircraft-Aircraft systems-Landing gear system-Nose/tail landing gear-Damaged/degraded - C
  • C Aircraft-Aircraft systems-Landing gear system-Landing gear steering system-Inoperative - C

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_2012_CEN12CA607.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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