Albuquerque International Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Albuquerque, New Mexico 87106
Sunday, March 1, 1992 13:00 MST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

DURING LANDING ROLL, THE PILOT INADVERTENTLY ENTERED A GROUND LOOP. WHEN HE ATTEMPTED RUDDER INPUT TO CORRECT FOR THE GROUND LOOP, THE RUDDER CONTROL MIXING UNIT IN THE EMPENNAGE SHIFTED AND JAMMED THE RUDDER. CONTINUED PRESSURE ON THE RUDDER PEDALS BY THE PILOT FRACTURED THE LEFT RUDDER PEDAL AT THE CROSSOVER BAR. THE AIRCRAFT WING STRUCK THE GROUND DURING THE EVOLUTION CAUSING SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE LEFT WING.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

A FAILURE OF THE RUDDER CONTROL SYSTEM WHEN THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO CORRECT FOR AN INADVERTENT GROUND LOOP DURING LANDING ROLL.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 3/1/1992
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1300
Event Time Zone Mountain Standard Time
Event City ALBUQUERQUE
Event State NEW MEXICO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 87106
Event Date Year 1992
Event Date Month 3
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport ALBUQUERQUE INTERNATIONAL
Event Location Nearest Airport ID ABQ
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 6280
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Witness
Time of the weather observation 0
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 20000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 10000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 60
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 16
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -7
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 270
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 3
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 6400
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 NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 8
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 45895
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 2:47PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N48DD
NTSB Number DEN92LA038
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 THORPE
Aircraft Model T-18
Aircraft Series Identifier T-18
Aircraft Serial Number 958
Certified Max Gross Weight 1733
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 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Nov 30 1991 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 25
Airframe Hours 244
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name GORDON HALL
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1909 WASHINGTON N.E.
Aircraft Owner City ALBUQUERQUE
Aircraft Owner State NM
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 87110
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name GORDON HALL
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
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) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code COS
Departure City COLORADO SPRING
Departure State CO
Departure Country
Departure Time 900
Departure Time Zone MST
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
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 Jan 2 2001 10:34AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 3
Runway Length 9000
Runway Width 50
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --