Event GAA15CA244

Factual narrative

The pilot of the tailwheel equipped, tandem cockpit airplane, who was sitting in the rear seat, reported that during the takeoff roll, the airplane veered off the left side of the runway and ground looped. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot reported that he did not have any experience piloting a tailwheel equipped airplane from the rear seat and he could not see the instruments with the passenger seated in the front seat. The pilot of the tailwheel equipped, tandem cockpit airplane, who was sitting in the rear seat, reported that during the takeoff roll, the airplane veered off the left side of the runway and ground looped. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot reported that he did not have any experience piloting a tailwheel equipped airplane from the rear seat and he could not see the instruments with the passenger seated in the front seat. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database Retrieved: 2026-02-12

NTSB Findings

Hierarchical cause / factor breakdown from the FAA bulk avdata database. Each finding tagged C (Cause) or F (Factor).

• C Personnel issues-Task performance-Use of equip/info-Aircraft control-Pilot - C
• C Aircraft-Aircraft oper/perf/capability-Performance/control parameters-Directional control-Not attained/maintained - C
• F Personnel issues-Experience/knowledge-Experience/qualifications-Total experience in position-Pilot - F