N3239T

On July 9, 2001, at 1325 eastern daylight time, a Mcdonnell Douglas DC-3, N3239T, ground looped curing an attempted landing on runway 27 at the Titusville Space Coast Regional Airport in Titusville, Florida. The airplane was owned and operated by Valiant Air Command and flown by an airline transport pilot under the provisions of Title 14 CFR Part 91 with an instrument flight rules flight plan on file. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The pilot-in-command and co-pilot were not injured, and the airplane sustained substantial damage. The flight originated from Pope Air Force Base, North Carolina, at 0915 with a fuel stop in Southern Pines, North Carolina. The flight departed Southern Pines at 1015.

According to the pilot-in-command, the flight was returning from an air show and was on a visual approach to runway 27. The co-pilot was flying the airplane, and winds reported by the tower were 250 degrees at 16 knots. The approach was stabilized, and upon touchdown, the airplane bounced. The pilot-in-command stated, "A decision was made by me to go around." The pilot-in-command stated, "Upon application of power the airplane turned sharply left, probably from a strong and sudden wind gust."

According to the tower controller, the airplane bounced about three feet into the air. On the second bounce, the airplane veered left, and it appeared to the controller that the pilot was trying to go-around. The controller said the left wing came up and the airplane veered right. On the third bounce, the airplane was pointing about 80 degrees nose-right of the runway heading.

Examination of the airplane found the following damage; right main gear had separated from the airplane, the left main gear collapsed, the tailwheel had separated, the right wing tip had impacted the runway with significant scarring on the underside of the wing, and wrinkling was observed in the empennage. The pilot reported that the damage had occured during the ground loop. No previous mechanical problems with the airplane were reported.