SEARCY, AR, USA
N7729K
PIPER PA-20
FOLLOWING A SOLO STUDENT PRACTICE LESSON, THE PILOT MADE A TRAFFIC PATTERN ENTRY FOR A FULL STOP WHEEL LANDING ON RUNWAY 19. THE INDICATED AIRSPEED WAS 70 MPH WITH THE FLAPS EXTENDED 20 DEGREES. THE AIRPLANE WAS BANKED 10 DEGREES INTO THE WIND WHICH THE PILOT REPORTED AS 10 KNOTS FROM THE RIGHT OF THE RUNWAY. DURING THE LANDING FLARE/TOUCHDOWN, THE RIGHT WHEEL TOUCHED THE RUNWAY FOLLOWED BY THE LEFT WHEEL. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE TAILWHEEL AIRPLANE GROUNDLOOPED AS A GUST OF WIND STRUCK THE AIRPLANE. THE AIRPLANE CAME TO REST INVERTED WITH STRUCTURAL DAMAGE TO THE WINGS.
On September 13, 1995, at 1330 central daylight time, a Piper PA-20S-135, N7729K, groundlooped while landing at Searcy, Arkansas. The solo student pilot was not injured and the airplane sustained substantial damage. The airplane was being operated under Title 14, CFR Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the local instructional flight for which no flight plan was filed. During a telephone interview, conducted by a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector, and on the enclosed Pilot/Operator report, the pilot reported the following information. During a traffic pattern entry, the pilot set "up for a wheel landing" on runway 19. The indicated airspeed of the airplane was 70 mph with the flaps extended 20 degrees and the bank angle "about 10 degrees to the right because of the crosswind." The pilot reported the winds from 270 degrees at 10 knots. During the landing flare/touchdown, "the right main wheel touched down first and my speed decreased." The "left wheel came down, then I was struck by a gust from the right." Subsequently, the airplane groundlooped and came to rest inverted. Wing structural damage was reported.
THE PILOT'S INADEQUATE COMPENSATION FOR THE WINDS. A FACTOR WAS THE CROSSWIND.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
Aviation Accidents App
In-Depth Access to Aviation Accident Reports
