LAX96LA174

Factual narrative

On April 19, 1996, at 0917 hours mountain standard time, a Helio H-295 aircraft, N6470V, was substantially damaged when it veered off runway 21 during the takeoff roll at the Grand Canyon Airport, Grand Canyon, Arizona. There were no injuries to the private pilot and three passengers. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the personal flight which was destined for Moab, Utah. The pilot told inspectors from the FAA Flight Standards District Office in Las Vegas, Nevada, that during the takeoff roll the aircraft veered to the left for undetermined reasons. He input right rudder and right brake, but could not stop the aircraft from leaving the runway approximately 1,000 feet from the departure end. There was a left quartering tailwind of 7 knots. In his report to the NTSB, the pilot described a normal takeoff until he raised the tail wheel off the runway at approximately 40 miles per hour, at which time the aircraft "immediately entered a left ground loop that full right rudder and brake was unable to stop." The aircraft ground looped through 270 degrees and came to rest heading northwest, about 100 feet off the left side of the runway. The pilot reported that brake disk retaining clips were recovered from the runway and that the right-hand brake disk retaining ring was broken permitting the disk to come out of the wheel. During takeoff with a 7 knot left quartering tailwind, the pilot raised the tail wheel off the runway at approximately 40 miles per hour and the aircraft immediately entered a left ground loop that full right rudder and brake was unable to stop. The aircraft ground looped through 270 degrees and came to rest about 100 feet off the left side of the runway and 1,000 feet from the departure threshold. The pilot reported that brake disk retaining clips were recovered from the runway and that the right-hand brake disk retaining ring was broken permitting the disk to come out of the wheel. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12