Accident Details
Probable Cause and Findings
separation of the tail wheel cables, resulting in a loss of directional control.
Aircraft Information
Analysis
On September 7, 2002, at 1600 mountain daylight time, a Cessna 195, N4381V, registered to and operated by Colorado Aero Services LLC of Boulder, Colorado, was substantially damaged when the airplane ground looped during taxi at Vance Brand Airport (2V2), Longmont, Colorado. The commercial pilot and his passenger were not injured. Day visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed for the local personal flight being conducted under Title 14 CFR Part 91. The flight originated at Greeley, Colorado, at 1530.
The pilot had flown to the Greeley-Weld County Airport earlier that day. After refueling, he returned to Longmont and landed on runway 29 without incident. He said that as the airplane slowed during rollout, he raised the flaps and unlocked the tail wheel and attempted to turn right on taxiway A2, using full right rudder. The airplane made a sudden 90 degree left turn, scraping the right wing tip, and came to a halt. Using differential braking, the pilot taxied back to his hangar.
On September 12, 2002, an FAA inspector inspected the airplane and found substantial damage to the outboard right wing spars, right wing tip, and horizontal stabilizer.
The pilot said that his insurance company adjuster found the tail wheel cables had separated.
Data Source
Data provided by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). For more information on this event, visit the NTSB Records Search website. NTSB# DEN02LA107