Will Rogers World Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73108
Tuesady, September 30, 1997 16:46 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

During the landing roll in a right crosswind, the tailwheel airplane had slowed to 25 mph when it veered to the right and groundlooped. There was a hard shimmy and vibration, and the airplane turned 110 degrees at which point the left main wheel and axle separated from the airframe. The pilot had one hour in the make and model of aircraft. The FAA airworthiness inspector found that the threads from the 'top two nuts and one lower nut were stripped from their bolts holding the axle on the landing gear.' The last annual inspection was performed on 9/1/97. The FAA airworthiness inspector stated that the 'appearance of the aircraft is a generally neglected condition, with worn door hinges, poor operating door latches, fogged instrument glass, and corrosion in plain view.' Maintenance records were not submitted to the Safety Board for review.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's inadequate compensation for the crosswind conditions resulting in an inadvertent groundloop. Factors were the crosswind, the pilot's lack of total experience in make and model, the separation of the left main wheel due to corroded bolts, and the inadequate annual inspection.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/30/1997
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 1646
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City OKLAHOMA CITY
Event State OKLAHOMA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 73108
Event Date Year 1997
Event Date Month 9
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport WILL ROGERS WORLD
Event Location Nearest Airport ID OKC
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 1295
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1650 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID OKC
Elevation of weather observation facility 1295
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 10000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 32
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 17
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 60
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 8
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1335
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Sep 30 1997 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1909
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 8 2000 12:34PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N10433
NTSB Number FTW97LA372
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Cessna
Aircraft Model 170A
Aircraft Series Identifier 170A
Aircraft Serial Number 20128
Certified Max Gross Weight 2050
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Sep 1 1997 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name KURT B. GRANGER
Aircraft Owner Street Address 322 MARY ANN DRIVE
Aircraft Owner City SOMONAUK
Aircraft Owner State IL
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 60552
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Positioning
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code F29
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1630
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code OKC
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:34AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 35L
Runway Length 9800
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --