Cherry Capital City Arpt. Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Traverse City, Michigan 49684
Thursday, June 3, 1993 10:29 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT STATED THAT ALL THREE WHEELS OF THE TAILWHEEL AIRPLANE WERE ON THE GROUND AFTER LANDING. THE AIRPLANE BEGAN A LEFT HAND TURN WHICH THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO STOP. THE PILOT STATED HE DID NOT OBSERVE ANY RESPONSE FROM HIS RIGHT RUDDER APPLICATION. THE AIRPLANE CONTINUED TO TURN LEFT ENTERING A GROUND LOOP WITH THE RIGHT WING TIP DRAGGING ON THE GROUND. THE RIGHT LANDING GEAR COLLAPSED AND THE RIGHT WING MAIN SPAR WAS DAMAGED. THE ON-SCENE INVESTIGATION REVEALED A LACK OF LUBRICATION IN THE TAILWHEEL BEARINGS. THIS COULD RESULT IN THE WHEEL BEING PULLED FROM ITS SPRING LOADED INDENT CAUSING A LOSS OF RUDDER PEDAL/TAILWHEEL CONTROL.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

inadequate lubrication of the tailwheel bearings and inadequate preflight by the pilot/owner which resulted in a seized tailwheel.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/3/1993
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1029
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City TRAVERSE CITY
Event State MICHIGAN
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 49684
Event Date Year 1993
Event Date Month 6
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport CHERRY CAPITAL CITY ARPT.
Event Location Nearest Airport ID TVC
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 624
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1330 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID TVC
Elevation of weather observation facility 624
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 15
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 14
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 6
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 40
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
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 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency FAA
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1253
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jun 3 1993 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1230
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 1:22PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N17BA
NTSB Number CHI93DEM01
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 AMATO
Aircraft Model CORBEN JR. ACE
Aircraft Series Identifier CORBEN JR.
Aircraft Serial Number 520
Certified Max Gross Weight 1156
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? Yes
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 1
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Unknown
Date of Last Inspection Sep 19 1988 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 0
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name BRIAN C. AMATO
Aircraft Owner Street Address 3871 WHISPERING OAKS
Aircraft Owner City TRAVERSE CITY
Aircraft Owner State MI
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 49684
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name BRIAN C. AMATO
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address 3871 WHISPERING OAKS
Operator City TRAVERSE CITY
Operator State MI
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 49684
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) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1015
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Oct 10 2002 3:29PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 36
Runway Length 5107
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --