GAA19CA523
2019-09-02 · San Carlos, California, United States · None · 1 aircraft · Status: Completed
Airport SQL
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, during the landing roll, the airplane encountered a wind gust from the left. The pilot corrected with full application of the right rudder, but he did not stop the airplane's left veer. The airplane ground-looped to the left and the right wing stuck the ground. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing. The airport's METAR reported that about the time of the accident, the wind was from 260° at 8 knots. The pilot landed on runway 30. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot reported that, during the landing roll, the airplane encountered a wind gust from the left and then started to veer left. The pilot corrected with full application of right rudder, but it did not stop the left veer. The airplane ground looped to the left, and the right wing stuck the ground. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions 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_GAA19CA523.txt.
Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb.
Full investigation docket on
data.ntsb.gov ↗.
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