On May 27, 1989, a Cessna 190 (registration N9862A) was involved in an aviation accident near Livermore, CA. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The flight instructor's loss of directional control during the landing demonstration, which caused the airplane to ground loop. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
A certificated flight instructor lost directional control shortly after touchdown while demonstrating landing techniques during a biennial flight review, causing the aircraft to ground loop.
What happened
A certificated flight instructor was conducting a biennial flight review for the owner of the aircraft. During the session, the instructor decided to demonstrate specific landing techniques. Shortly after the aircraft touched down on the runway, the instructor lost directional control. The airplane subsequently ground looped to the right, resulting in substantial damage to the airframe.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the immediate circumstances of the loss of control during the landing phase. The primary finding was that directional control was compromised shortly after touchdown during the demonstration maneuver. No mechanical failure or weather-related factors were cited as contributing elements in the provided record.
Findings
The incident occurred during a routine training exercise aimed at evaluating pilot proficiency. The loss of control resulted directly from the landing technique demonstration performed by the flight instructor. The outcome was substantial damage to the aircraft due to the ground loop event.
Probable cause
The flight instructor's loss of directional control during the landing demonstration, which caused the airplane to ground loop.