HEINLEIN GEORGE GH125
Valkaria, FL — February 8, 2018
Event Information
| Date | February 8, 2018 |
| Event Type | ACC |
| NTSB Number | GAA18CA182 |
| Event ID | 20180208X72025 |
| Location | Valkaria, FL |
| Country | USA |
| Coordinates | 27.96139, -80.55972 |
| Airport | VALKARIA |
| Highest Injury | NONE |
Aircraft
| Make | HEINLEIN GEORGE |
| Model | GH125 |
| Category | AIR |
| FAR Part | 091 |
| Aircraft Damage | SUBS |
Conditions
| Light Condition | DAYL |
| Weather | VMC |
Injuries
| Fatal | 0 |
| Serious | 0 |
| Minor | 0 |
| None | 1 |
| Total Injured | 0 |
Event Location
Probable Cause
The pilot’s decision to exit the paved runway into soft terrain, which resulted in a ground loop and landing gear collapse.
Full Narrative
The pilot reported that, after landing the tailwheel-equipped airplane, he exited the runway as soon as possible due to student traffic in the pattern, but the runway had no parallel taxiway, and he underestimated the softness of the terrain next to the runway. He added, the right main landing gear dug in, the airplane ground looped, the right main landing gear collapsed, and the airplane came to rest nosed down.
The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing.
The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
The pilot reported that he should have stayed on the paved runway until reaching the taxiway exit.
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.