North Las Vegas Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

N. Las Vegas, Nevada 89032
Saturday, September 16, 2000 8:45 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

On the landing rollout the airplane ground looped. The airplane sustained substantial damage after the right wing struck a downward sloping berm. The owner was receiving instruction in conventional geared airplanes. They had flown for an about an hour, practicing touch-and-go takeoffs and landings, on the morning of the accident. No discrepancies were noted with the airplane or landing gear. On the landing rollout the tail wheel began to wobble, and the airplane veered to the left. The landing gear system was inspected. Clips attach to springs that connect the tail wheel assembly to the rudder control. The right clip was broken, which allowed the tail wheel to caster freely. The pilot noted no discrepancies with the landing gear during the preflight inspection.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Failure of the right clip that attaches a spring to the tail wheel/rudder control assembly, which resulted in a loss of directional control and collision with a berm.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/16/2000
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 845
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City N. LAS VEGAS
Event State NEVADA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 89032
Event Date Year 2000
Event Date Month 9
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude --
Event Location Longitude --
Event Location Airport NORTH LAS VEGAS AIRPORT
Event Location Nearest Airport ID VGT
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 2205
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 821 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID VGT
Elevation of weather observation facility 2205
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation PDT
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) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 84
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 43
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 3
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) 10630
NTSB Notification Source FAA
NTSB Notification Date Sep 16 2000 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 915
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Oct 2 2001 8:45AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\MONR
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N27CG
NTSB Number LAX00LA338
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 Stevens
Aircraft Model STARDUSTER II AS300
Aircraft Series Identifier STARDUSTER
Aircraft Serial Number 999
Certified Max Gross Weight 2010
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 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Apr 6 2000 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 24
Airframe Hours 607
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name PAUL DUDLEY
Aircraft Owner Street Address
Aircraft Owner City LAS VEGAS
Aircraft Owner State NV
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 89119
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) Instructional
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code VGT
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 730
Departure Time Zone PDT
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 Sep 12 2001 4:01AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 12
Runway Length 5000
Runway Width 75
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --