Event CHI05CA101

Factual narrative

On April 18, 2005, at 1830 mountain daylight time, a Piper PA-22-160, piloted by a student pilot, was substantially damaged when it ground-looped while landing on runway 11 (2,284 feet by 50 feet, asphalt) at the Gordon Municipal Airport, Gordon, Nebraska. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The personal flight was operating under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91 without a flight plan. The pilot reported no injuries. The local area flight departed around 1745. The pilot reported that he wanted to fly his recently purchased airplane "because the weather was calm." The pilot stated, "Although my instructor would not approve I [chose] to fly anyway." The airplane had been converted from a tricycle landing gear into a conventional (tailwheel) airplane. The pilot reported that he departed on runway 04 and entered the traffic pattern for runway 11. The pilot stated that during his second landing he "ground looped" the airplane. The pilot reported the winds were from 110 degrees magnetic at 5 knots. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) records show that the pilot was issued his student pilot certificate on February 13, 2003. Student pilot certificates are valid for 24-calendar months. The pilot did not have an instructor endorsement for the accident airplane make and model. The pilot reported that he had 2.0 hours in the accident airplane. The airplane ground-looped during landing. The pilot reported that he wanted to fly his recently purchased airplane "because the weather was calm." The pilot stated, "Although my instructor would not approve I [chose] to fly anyway." The pilot reported that he departed on runway 04 and entered the traffic pattern for runway 11. The pilot stated that during his second landing he "ground looped" the airplane. The airplane had been converted from a tricycle landing gear into a conventional (tailwheel) airplane. The pilot reported the winds were from 110 degrees magnetic at 5 knots. Federal Aviation Administration records show that the pilot was issued a student pilot certificate on February 13, 2003. Student pilot certificates are valid for 24-calendar months. The pilot did not have an instructor endorsement for the accident airplane make and model. The pilot reported that he had 2.0 hours in the accident airplane. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12