N1270C

Substantial
Minor

Piper PA-22-135S/N: 22-1063

Accident Details

Date
Sunday, June 18, 2006
NTSB Number
CHI06CA159
Location
Nebraska City, NE
Event ID
20060721X00986
Coordinates
40.607223, -95.865554
Aircraft Damage
Substantial
Highest Injury
Minor
Fatalities
0
Serious Injuries
0
Minor Injuries
1
Uninjured
1
Total Aboard
2

Probable Cause and Findings

The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during the landing rollout and the resulting ground loop. A contributing factor was the excessive tail wheel steering (rudder) input by the pilot.

Aircraft Information

Registration
Make
PIPER
Serial Number
22-1063
Engine Type
Reciprocating
Year Built
1953
Model / ICAO
PA-22-135PA22
Aircraft Type
Fixed Wing Single Engine
No. of Engines
1
Seats
4
FAA Model
PA-22-135

Registered Owner (Current)

Name
SCHNACK KENNETH L
Address
26997 152ND ST
City
CRESCENT
State / Zip Code
IA 51526-4344
Country
United States

Analysis

The airplane was substantially damaged when the pilot lost directional control during landing rollout. The airplane subsequently ground looped causing the left wing to contact the ground and the left main landing gear to collapse. The pilot reported that he flew a "normal downwind to final" with a "very good touchdown followed by the start of a smooth rollout." He stated that the tail wheel began to "wobble (chatter)" and the airplane drifted to the left side of the runway. He added engine power as the airplane reached the edge of the runway and applied rudder correction to return to the runway centerline. The pilot stated, "Too much right rudder started the ground loop which finished with the airplane having turned 180 [degrees]." When the airplane came to rest, the "left wing was down in the dirt with the left main folded under the airplane," according to the pilot. He noted no malfunctions with the airplane. He also commented that more patience with the tail wheel "chatter" may have prevented the over controlling which led to the ground loop.

Data Source

Data provided by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). For more information on this event, visit the NTSB Records Search website. NTSB# CHI06CA159