Event GAA16CA338

Factual narrative

The pilot of a tailwheel equipped airplane reported that during the landing roll as the tailwheel came down, the left wing "rose up", and he attempted to correct with left aileron. The pilot further reported that the airplane started "yawing, sliding, and turning sideways on the pavement". The airplane veered off the runway to the left, the right main landing gear collapsed, and the airplane impacted the ground. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing. According to the pilot there were no preimpact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation. A review of recorded data from the automated weather observation station located about 1 mile to the southwest, revealed that, about 19 minutes before the accident the wind was variable at 4 knots. The airplane landed on runway 24. The pilot of a tailwheel equipped airplane reported that during the landing roll as the tailwheel came down, the left wing "rose up", and he attempted to correct with left aileron. The pilot further reported that the airplane started "yawing, sliding, and turning sideways on the pavement". The airplane veered off the runway to the left, the right main landing gear collapsed, and the airplane impacted the ground. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing. According to the pilot there were no preimpact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation. A review of recorded data from the automated weather observation station located about 1 mile to the southwest, revealed that, about 19 minutes before the accident the wind was variable at 4 knots. The airplane landed on runway 24. 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 Aircraft-Aircraft oper/perf/capability-Performance/control parameters-Directional control-Not attained/maintained - C
• C Personnel issues-Task performance-Use of equip/info-Aircraft control-Pilot - C
• — Environmental issues-Conditions/weather/phenomena-Wind-Variable wind-Effect on equipment
• — Environmental issues-Conditions/weather/phenomena-Wind-Variable wind-Ability to respond/compensate
• — Environmental issues-Physical environment-Terrain-(general)-Contributed to outcome