Skip to content

GAA19CA211

2019-04-16 · Denver, Colorado, United States · None · 1 aircraft · Status: Completed

Airport APA

Current FAA registration · N755K

Make / Model
SMITH AVIATION PA 18 WB
Year of manufacture
2005 · 14 years old at event
Engine
LYCOMING O-360-C4P (180 hp)
Seats / Engines
2 seats · 1 engine
Last airworthiness date
20130228
ADS-B equipped
Yes — Mode-S AA2D7D

Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).

Aircraft involved

Probable cause & findings

The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during the landing roll, which resulted in a ground-loop.

Factual narrative

The pilot in the tailwheel-equipped airplane reported that he made a three-point landing. During the landing roll, the airplane veered left, and he corrected with right rudder and right brake. Subsequently, the airplane ground-looped to the right, the left main landing gear collapsed, and the left wing struck the ground. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing spar. The pilot reported that there were no 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. During the landing roll, the airplane veered left, and he corrected with right rudder and right brake. Subsequently, the airplane ground looped to the right, the left main landing gear collapsed, and the left wing struck the ground. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing spar. 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 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

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_2019_GAA19CA211.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

Search this event elsewhere

External sources are reported, not agency: signal that something happened, not fact about what happened.