N244GR – NORTH AMERICAN AT-6F – 2012-08-31 NTSB Accident Report

On August 31, 2012, a North American AT-6F (N244GR) was involved in an incident near Council Bluffs, IA. All 2 people aboard were uninjured. The aircraft sustained substantial damage.

The National Transportation Safety Board determined the probable cause of this incident to be: An unlocking of the excessively worn tailwheel lock mechanism, which resulted in a loss of directional control during landing.

Immediately after liftoff the flight instructor simulated an engine failure and the pilot executed a rejected takeoff, landing on the runway remaining. When the tailwheel contacted the runway it began to "shimmy violently and disengaged the steering pin." The airplane veered to the left and the pilot was unable to stop the veer using right rudder and brake. The airplane exited the left side of the runway moving sideways to the right. The right main landing gear collapsed causing substantial damage to the right wing. An examination of the tailwheel mechanism showed excessive wear in both the locking collar hole and the drag links in the tailwheel assembly.

This incident is documented in NTSB report CEN12CA607. AviatorDB cross-references NTSB investigation data with FAA registry records to provide comprehensive safety information for aircraft N244GR.