N191LM

Substantial
Minor

NELSON CYGNET SF-2A S/N: 191

Accident Details

Date
Monday, July 13, 1998
NTSB Number
SEA98LA134
Location
NEWBERG, OR
Event ID
20001211X10715
Coordinates
45.320606, -122.979988
Aircraft Damage
Substantial
Highest Injury
Minor
Fatalities
0
Serious Injuries
0
Minor Injuries
1
Uninjured
0
Total Aboard
1

Probable Cause and Findings

The pilot-in-command's failure to maintain directional control. Factors contributing were the pilot-in-command's lack of experience in make of aircraft (i.e., use of toe brakes) and the fence post.

Aircraft Information

Registration
N191LM
Make
NELSON
Serial Number
191
Year Built
1989
Model / ICAO
CYGNET SF-2A

Registered Owner (Historical)

Name
SALE REPORTED
Address
PO BOX 2142
Status
Deregistered
City
SISTERS
State / Zip Code
OR 97759-2142
Country
United States

Analysis

On July 13, 1998, approximately 1149 Pacific daylight time, a homebuilt Cygnet SF-2A, N191LM, registered to (as co-owner) and being flown by a private pilot, sustained substantial damage during a loss of control on landing rollout at the Chehalem Airpark, Newberg, Oregon. The pilot sustained minor injuries. Visual meteorological conditions existed and no flight plan had been filed. The flight, which was personal, was to have been operated under 14CFR91, and originated at the accident airport approximately 1110.

The pilot reported to the investigator-in-charge that the accident flight was her first solo in the toe-brake equipped, tail-wheel Cygnet SF-2A, and that she had logged more than 100 hours pilot-in-command time in the heel-brake equipped tail-wheel Citabria she co-owned. She had no other toe-brake experience other than that in the SF-2A aircraft.

Winds at McMinnville Municipal airport 8 nautical miles south were recorded at 11553 hours as 4 knots from 350 degrees magnetic.

The pilot also reported in her written statement that upon touchdown on the centerline of runway 25 at the Chehalem Airpark she "began applying brakes/rudder" and that the "plane went to (the) left slightly." She then "applied right rudder (and) the plane continued to go hard right dispite (sic) hard application of left rudder and brake." She then "applied throttle in an attempt to correct" and impacted a fence post approximately 50 feet north of the runway center line before coming to rest.

Data Source

Data provided by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). For more information on this event, visit the NTSB Records Search website. NTSB# SEA98LA134