Event LAX06CA177

Factual narrative

On May 18, 2006, about 0559 mountain standard time, a Cessna 150M, N63149, veered off the runway and ground looped during landing at Ryan Field, Tucson, Arizona. International Airline Training Academy (IATA) operated the airplane as an instructional flight under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91. The certified flight instructor (CFI) pilot and the student pilot undergoing instruction (PUI) were not injured; the airplane sustained substantial damage. The local area instructional flight departed about 0530. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed. The CFI submitted a written report. The purpose of the flight was to practice soft field landings. The CFI reported that the student pilot executed two full stop landings; both of which culminated in hard landings. On the third landing, the accident landing, the takeoff and pattern were normal. The student was instructed to perform a normal landing without allowing the landing gear to touchdown, and then to execute a go-around. The student pilot allowed the airplane's landing gear to touch down; the left main landing gear touched down first, and then the right main. The CFI instructed the student pilot to maintain backpressure on the yoke to prevent the nose landing gear from touching down on the runway surface; however, the nose landing gear touched down on the runway surface. He noted the airplane's nose landing gear was about 3-feet left of the runway centerline. As the airplane drifted slowly to the left the CFI instructed the student to apply full power and execute a go-around. The student was "very slow to respond." After a few seconds, the student finally responded and applied full power. The airplane immediately veered hard to the left of the runway. At that point the CFI took control of the airplane as it was departing the runway. The airplane encountered soft dirt and the left wing tip struck the ground. The CFI tried to regain control of the airplane and counteracted the airplane's turn to the left by attempting to turn the airplane to the right back towards the runway; however, the right wing tip struck the runway. The airplane came to a stop back on the runway. The CFI then contacted the tower and informed them of the situation. The CFI stated that the airplane and engine had no mechanical failures or malfunctions during the flight. The airplane veered off the runway and ground looped during landing. The purpose of the flight was to practice soft field landings. The instructor indicated that the first two landings resulted in hard touchdowns. On the third landing, he instructed the student to perform a landing flare without touching down on the runway surface, and then to execute a go-around. The student pilot allowed the airplane's landing gear to touchdown; left main landing gear first, then the right main landing gear. The instructor told the student to maintain backpressure on the yoke to keep the nose landing gear from touching down; however, the nose landing gear touched down anyway and the airplane started to drift to the left. The instructor told the student to apply full power to execute a go-around. The student pilot applied full power and the airplane veered to the left. As the airplane was departing the runway surface, the instructor took the flight controls and the left wing tip struck the soft dirt. As he attempted to correct the turn to the left, the airplane's right wing contacted the runway surface. The airplane came to rest on the runway. The instructor stated that the airplane and engine had no mechanical failures. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12