Event LAX03CA301

Factual narrative

On September 27, 2003, at 0800 hours Pacific daylight time an experimental Starduster SA300 airplane, N1698, veered off of the runway during landing at Gansner Field (201), Quincy, California. The airplane was registered to and being operated by the pilot under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91. The private pilot, the sole occupant, was not injured; the airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing and left main landing gear. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan had been filed. The flight departed Chino about 0720 for the personal cross-country flight. The pilot reported in a written statement that the en route portion of the flight was uneventful. During touchdown on runway 06 he lost visual contact with the runway as the tail wheel touched down, due to the angle of the sun. He attempted to add brakes sooner than normal and the right brake locked. He was unable to regain control by using the left brake and the airplane ground looped. The left wing impacted the ground and the left main gear collapsed. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical problems with the airplane. The pilot said that he should have gone around and landed on runway 24 to prevent the sun glare from interfering with his vision. The airplane ground looped during landing; the left wing impacted the ground and the left main gear collapsed. During touchdown on runway 06 the pilot lost visual contact with the runway as the tail wheel touched down, due to the angle of the sun and the effects of sun glare. He attempted to add brakes sooner than normal and the right brake locked. He was unable to regain control by using the left brake and the airplane ground looped. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical problems with the airplane. The pilot said that he should have gone around and landed on runway 24 to prevent the sun glare from interfering with his vision. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12