GAA17CA461

Factual narrative

The pilot in the tailwheel-equipped airplane reported that he made a three-point landing on runway 4, but the airspeed was high, and the airplane bounced. The airplane then descended and landed on the main landing gear. As the airspeed decreased, and the tail wheel settled to the runway, the pilot felt that he did not have rudder authority and he mistakenly attempted to apply the heel brakes. The accident airplane was equipped with toe brakes. The pilot's other airplane has heel brakes and he recalled that the heel brake application was instinctive. The pilot reported that there was a crosswind, the airplane began pulling to the right, and he eventually applied the toe brakes, but the airplane ground-looped to the right. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the horizontal stabilizer. The METAR reported that the wind was from 130° at 7 knots and the skies were clear with 10 statute miles of visibility. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot in the tailwheel-equipped airplane reported that he made a three-point landing on runway 4, but the airspeed was high, and the airplane bounced. The airplane then descended and landed on the main landing gear. As the airspeed decreased and the tailwheel settled to the runway, the pilot felt that he did not have rudder authority, and he mistakenly attempted to apply the heel brakes. The accident airplane was equipped with toe brakes. The pilot's other airplane had heel brakes, and he recalled that the heel brake application was instinctive. The pilot reported that there was a crosswind, that the airplane began pulling to the right, and that he eventually applied the toe brakes, but the airplane ground looped to the right. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the horizontal stabilizer. The METAR reported that the wind was from 130° at 7 knots and that the sky was clear with 10 statute miles of visibility. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with 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.

• C Aircraft-Aircraft systems-Landing gear system-Brake-Incorrect use/operation - C
• 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-Crosswind-Effect on operation