PIPER PA 18
Murfreesboro, TN — March 2, 2015
Event Information
| Date | March 2, 2015 |
| Event Type | ACC |
| NTSB Number | ERA15CA148 |
| Event ID | 20150309X60611 |
| Location | Murfreesboro, TN |
| Country | USA |
| Coordinates | 35.87750, -86.37750 |
| Airport | Murfreesboro Municipal Airport |
| Highest Injury | NONE |
Aircraft
| Make | PIPER |
| Model | PA 18 |
| Category | AIR |
| FAR Part | 091 |
| Aircraft Damage | SUBS |
Conditions
| Light Condition | DAYL |
| Weather | VMC |
Injuries
| Fatal | 0 |
| Serious | 0 |
| Minor | 0 |
| None | 2 |
| Total Injured | 0 |
Event Location
Probable Cause
The student pilot's failure to maintain directional control while landing and the flight instructor's delayed remedial action, which resulted in a ground-loop and the left wing dragging the runway.
Full Narrative
During an instructional flight in a tailwheel equipped airplane, the student pilot and flight instructor planned to stay in the traffic pattern for touch and go landing practice. During the landing rollout, the airplane started drifting to the left side of the runway. Subsequently, the student pilot applied a hard correction to the right with the rudder pedals and the airplane ground looped, stopping 180 degrees from the landing direction. The flight instructor stated that he called for "my aircraft" when the student pilot made the hard correction, but the student pilot did not get off rudder pedals. Both the student pilot and flight instructor suspected that inadvertent brake application may have been applied in the heel brake equipped airplane. The flight instructor added that he did not observe any preimpact mechanical malfunctions with the airplane and the winds were light during the time of the accident. Examination of the airplane by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed substantial damage to the left wing.
About This NTSB Record
This aviation event was investigated by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). NTSB investigates all U.S. civil aviation accidents to determine probable cause and issue safety recommendations to prevent future accidents.