What happened
On 11 April 2009, a Vans RV-6, registration G-GDRV, was conducting a private familiarisation flight at Enstone Aerodrome, Oxfordshire. The flight was being conducted by a pilot with limited experience on this specific aircraft type, accompanied by a more experienced observer in the right seat.
During the circuit, the aircraft experienced several difficulties while taxiing and during various landing ground rolls. On the fourth landing on the asphalt runway, the observer had to apply rudder inputs to manage a developing swing. During the fifth landing, a more significant swing occurred, resulting in a ground loop. Following the incident, the pilot used differential braking to navigate the aircraft back to its hangar.
The investigation
Following the ground loop, the occupants noticed that the aircraft was no longer responding to rudder inputs. The aircraft was subsequently flown back to its base at Gloucester Staverton Airport. A physical inspection of the aircraft revealed damage to the left landing gear leg, the wheel spat, and the mounting plate, along with a broken tail steering linkage.
Findings
- The investigation established that the tailwheel steering linkage was broken.
- The occupants could not determine if the disconnection of the linkage was the primary cause of the steering difficulties or a consequence of the ground loop itself.
- The pilot attributed the incident to a lack of familiarity with the RV-6 and tail-wheeled aircraft in general.