On June 16, 2001, a Piper PA-18 (registration N6966D) was involved in an aviation accident near Homer, AK. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The student pilot's inadvertent ground loop. A factor in the accident was the pilot's lack of total experience. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
A student pilot landed hard in a tailwheel airplane, causing a bounce and ground loop. The right main landing gear wheel rim broke and the right wingtip scraped the ground. Later, a mechanic found damage to the right wing spar.
Incident Details
A student pilot was landing a tailwheel-equipped airplane at the conclusion of a local area flight. According to the pilot, the landing was hard, the airplane bounced, and then ground looped to the left. The pilot reported that his total accrued flight time was about 55 hours.
Damage Assessment
The accident resulted in a broken right main landing gear wheel rim and the right wingtip scraped the ground. The pilot was uncertain if the airplane sustained any damage to the wing structure. One month later, an airplane mechanic notified the NTSB investigator-in-charge and reported that the right wing had received damage to the wing spar.
Frequently asked questions
What happened in the 16 Jun 2001 Piper PA-18 accident near Homer, AK?
A student pilot landed hard in a tailwheel airplane, causing a bounce and ground loop. The right main landing gear wheel rim broke and the right wingtip scraped the ground. Later, a mechanic found damage to the right wing spar.
Were there any fatalities in the 16 Jun 2001 Piper PA-18 accident?
No fatalities were recorded in this accident.
What aircraft was involved and where did it happen?
The accident on 16 Jun 2001 involved a Piper PA-18, registration N6966D, at Homer, AK.
What was the probable cause of the accident?
The student pilot's inadvertent ground loop. A factor in the accident was the pilot's lack of total experience.
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