NTSB CAROL · Event
Event GAA17CA451
Registry · N410BP
FAA Aircraft Registry record.
Make / Model
AVIPRO AIRCRAFT LTD BEARHAWK
Year of manufacture
2012 · 5 years old at event
Engine
LYCOMING O-360 SERIES (180 hp)
Seats / Engines
2 seats · 1 engine
Last airworthiness date
20120209
ADS-B equipped
Yes — Mode-S A4D447
Registrant of record
WEISS MICHAEL K
Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).
Aircraft involved
Probable cause & findings
The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during the landing roll in crosswind conditions, which resulted in a ground loop.
Factual narrative
The pilot of the tailwheel-equipped airplane reported that, during the landing roll in crosswind conditions, when "transitioning from rudder to braking the tail started rapidly swinging to the left due to wind." He added that "rudder correction was ineffective" and he applied wheel brakes, but the airplane continued in the ground loop clockwise, the left main landing gear collapsed, and the left wing impacted the runway. The left wing sustained substantial damage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. An automated weather observation station, about the time of the accident, at the accident airport, reported wind from 040° at 8 knots. The pilot reported that while on short final the air traffic tower controller announced, "wind 050 at 12." The pilot added that the landing was on runway 36. The pilot of the tailwheel-equipped airplane reported that, during the landing roll in crosswind conditions, when "transitioning from rudder to braking, the tail started rapidly swinging to the left due to wind." He added that "rudder correction was ineffective," and he applied wheel brakes, but the airplane continued in the ground loop clockwise, the left main landing gear collapsed, and the left wing impacted the runway. The left wing sustained substantial damage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. An automated weather observation station at the accident airport reported, about the time of the accident, wind from 040° at 8 knots. The pilot reported that, while on short final, the air traffic tower controller announced, "wind 050 at 12." The pilot added that the landing was on runway 36. 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
- — Environmental issues-Conditions/weather/phenomena-Wind-Crosswind-Effect on operation
Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file
NTSB_2017_GAA17CA451.txt.
Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb.
Full investigation docket on
data.ntsb.gov ↗.
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