NTSB WPR21LA160 — 2021-04-15 · Cottonwood, Arizona, United States

Current FAA registration · N3551Z

Make / Model: PIPER PA-22-160
Year of manufacture: 1960 · 61 years old at event
Engine: LYCOMING 0-320 SERIES (180 hp)
Seats / Engines: 4 seats · 1 engine
Last airworthiness date: 20230226
ADS-B equipped: Yes — Mode-S A3F9F3

Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).

Aircraft involved

N3551Z Piper PA-22-160 None

Probable cause & findings

The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during landing, which resulted in a ground loop.

Factual narrative

The pilot of a tailwheel equipped airplane reported that, during the landing roll, while adjusting the flap handle, he briefly stepped on the right rudder and the airplane veered to the right. While attempting to correct with left rudder input, the airplane continued to veer to the right, exited the runway, ground looped to the right and collapsed the left main landing gear. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database Retrieved: 2026-02-12

NTSB Findings

FAA avdata. C = Cause, F = Factor.

— Aircraft-Aircraft oper/perf/capability-Performance/control parameters-Directional control-Not attained/maintained
— Personnel issues-Task performance-Use of equip/info-Aircraft control-Pilot

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_2021_WPR21LA160.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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