Event SEA04LA028

Factual narrative

On December 17, 2003, approximately 1620 mountain standard time, an Aviat A-1B single-engine airplane, N290AM, was substantially damaged following a loss of control during landing roll at the Friedman Memorial Airport (SUN), Hailey, Idaho. The airplane was owned and operated by the pilot. The private pilot, sole occupant, was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and a flight plan was not filed for the 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight. The flight departed the Jerome County Airport, Jerome, Idaho, at 1600, with SUN as its destination. In a telephone interview with the NTSB investigator-in-charge, and according to the Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report (NTSB Form 6120.1/2), the pilot stated that he was given a downwind clearance to land on runway 13, and in his rush to "get out of the way [I] lost control on landing, causing a ground loop that damaged the gear and the wings." The pilot stated that after the landing the aircraft veered slightly to the left. The pilot stated that he then corrected to the right, but "I probably added too much right brake." The pilot further stated that his subsequent correction to the left caused the airplane's right wing to lift, resulting in substantial damage to the left main landing gear as it collapsed, and to the left wing which impacted the runway. The pilot reported the airplane continued turning to the left, coming to rest on the runway in an upright position on a heading of approximately 270 degrees. At 1620, the weather observation facility located at SUN reported the wind was calm. After landing on runway 13, the airplane initially veered to the left during its landing roll. The pilot then overcorrected to the right using too much right brake, and then overcorrected back to the left. This resulted in the right wing rising, the left main gear collapsing, and the left wing striking the runway surface. The airplane continued its rotation to the left, eventually coming to rest in an upright position. The pilot reported the wind at the time of the accident as being variable at 4 knots, while the local weather observation facility at the airport reported the wind being calm. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12