Accident Details
Probable Cause and Findings
The pilot's inadequate compensation for wind and his failure to maintain control of the airplane during landing, which resulted in the airplane ground looping.
Aircraft Information
Registered Owner (Historical)
Analysis
On February 16, 2005, about 1230 central standard time, a Luscombe 8A, N39057, registered to and operated by a private individual, as a Title 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight, ground looped during landing at the Brookhaven Airport, Brookhaven, Mississippi. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed. The commercial-rated pilot was not injured, and the airplane incurred substantial damage. The flight originated at Brookhaven, the same day, about 1215.
The pilot stated that he had the just taken off from the Brookhaven Airport and had encountered bad weather, so he decided to discontinue the flight and return to his departure airport. He further stated that when he returned to land, the weather had deteriorated a bit and the winds were gusting. As he was landing, he said a gust affected the airplane, causing him to balloon and when the airplane came down a second time it ground-looped, incurring damage. The pilot said that prior to the accident there were no mechanical failures or malfunctions to the airplane or any of its systems.
Data Source
Data provided by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). For more information on this event, visit the NTSB Records Search website. NTSB# MIA05LA059