Aviation Accident Summaries

Aviation Accident Summary LAX92LA391

RENO, NV, USA

Aircraft #1

N9465H

BEECH D17S

Analysis

THE PILOT WAS HIRED TO FERRY THE AIRCRAFT TO AN AIRCRAFT AUCTION IN RENO. ONE FLIGHT ATTEMPT WAS ABORTED DUE TO A BAD LEFT BRAKE AND ATTEMPTS TO REPAIR THE BRAKE WERE UNSUCCESFUL. THE NEXT DAY, PARTS HAD BEEN LOCATED AND THE BRAKE HAD AGAIN BEEN REPAIRED. THE BRAKES TESTED SATISFACTORILY BY THE PILOT AND THE TRIP WAS MADE. THE PILOT STATED THAT THE LANDING WAS VERY SMOOTH AN ALMOST THREE POINT ATTITUDE ON THE CENTERLINE. HE SAID THE TAILWHEEL TOUCHED DOWN IMMEDIATLY AFTER THE MAIN GEAR AND THE AIRCRAFT BEGAN TO VEER SHARPLY TO THE RIGHT. THE PILOT NOTED THAT FULL LEFT RUDDER AND BRAKE WERE APPLIED, BUT THE RUDDER WAS INEFFECTIVE AT IDLE POWER AND SLOW SPEED, AND, WITHOUT A LEFT BRAKE IT WAS IMPOSSIBLE TO EFFECT ANY CHANGE OF DIRECTION. THE AIRCRAFT NOSED OVER IN SOFT SOIL AFTER LEAVING THE RUNWAY. WINDS AT THE TIME WAS REPORTED 130 DEGREES AT 6 KNOTS. IN FAA TOWER PERSONNEL STATEMENTS, THREE CONTROLLERS SAID THE AIRCRAFT BOUNCED ON LANDING AND ONE CONTROLLER SAID THE AIRCRAFT SWERVED BACK AND FORTH ALL PRIOR TO THE AIRCRAFT EXITING THE RUNWAY TO THE RIGHT. THE PASSENGER WAS INTERVIEWED AND HE STATED THE LANDING APPEARED NORMAL TO HIM. AFTER THE AIRCRAFT WAS REMOVED FROM THE RUNWAY SAFETY AREA A VISUAL AND STATIC TEST OF THE BRAKE PEDALS WAS PERFORMED SATISFACTORILY.

Probable Cause and Findings

THE PILOTS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL DURING LANDING ROLLOUT. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS A VARIABLE TAILWIND CONDITION AND THE SOFT, ROUGH NATURE OF THE TERRAIN.

 

Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database

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