LAX03LA071

Factual narrative

On January 18, 2003, at 1215 mountain standard time, a Taylorcraft Aviation Corporation F21, N2005U, ground looped after landing at a Bureau of Land Management (BLM) dirt strip 19 miles southeast of Payson, Arizona. The pilot/owner was operating the airplane under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91. The airplane was substantially damaged. The pilot, the sole occupant, was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the local area flight, and no flight plan had been filed. The flight departed from the Payson Airport (PAN), at 1000, and was scheduled to terminate at PAN with planned stops at dirt strips in the area. According to the pilot's written statement, he was going to land at some dirt strips southeast of PAN. The third dirt strip was where the accident occurred. The pilot refers to the landing strip as the "J/X landing strip." The landing strip was not smooth. On the landing rollout the airplane started to veer to the left. The pilot attempted to correct the situation by applying brakes and ailerons. He maneuvered to avoid a Juniper tree; however, the left wing tip struck the tree. The collision swung the airplane about 90 degrees, and the right landing gear folded under the airplane. The right wing slid along a Juniper tree and the tip broke off. The airplane came to rest upright. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical anomalies noted with the airplane. On landing, the airplane veered off the dirt airstrip and collided with a tree. During the landing rollout the airplane started to veer to the left. The pilot made an unsuccessful attempt to correct the airplane with the application of brakes and ailerons. He then maneuvered the airplane to avoid a tree; however, the left wing tip struck the tree. The airplane turned 90 degrees from it's original direction of travel and the right landing gear folded underneath the wing. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical anomalies noted with the airplane. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12