NTSB ERA22LA359 — 2022-07-10 · Fitchburg, Massachusetts, United States

Current FAA registration · N5915D

Make / Model: PIPER PA-22-150
Year of manufacture: 1956 · 66 years old at event
Engine: LYCOMING 0-320 SERIES (180 hp)
Seats / Engines: 4 seats · 1 engine
Last airworthiness date: 19561107
ADS-B equipped: Yes — Mode-S A7A429

Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).

Aircraft involved

N5915D Piper PA-22-150 None

Probable cause & findings

The pilot's loss of directional control while landing, which resulted in a ground loop.

Factual narrative

The pilot was landing the tailwheel-equipped airplane in light crosswind conditions. He reported that after landing he was attempting to resolve a tailwheel shimmy when the airplane began to ground loop and exited the runway. The right main landing gear dug into soft dirt along the runway shoulder and the airplane nosed over. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing. The pilot reported no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures of the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database Retrieved: 2026-02-12

NTSB Findings

FAA avdata. C = Cause, F = Factor.

— Aircraft-Aircraft oper/perf/capability-Performance/control parameters-Directional control-Not attained/maintained
— Personnel issues-Task performance-Use of equip/info-Aircraft control-Pilot

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_2022_ERA22LA359.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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