Ernest A. Love Field Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Prescott, Arizona 86301
Tuesady, December 16, 2003 9:00 MST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The tail wheel equipped airplane sustained substantial damage when it ground looped during the landing roll. During touchdown, the pilot completed a full stall three-point landing directly over the runway centerline. After touchdown, with the throttle at idle, the airplane rolled approximately 20 to 30 feet when the right wing lifted up. The airplane's right main landing gear lifted up from the runway and the pilot input right aileron and right rudder. His corrections were too small to counteract the left veer and the airplane ground looped to the left in a counterclockwise, 180-degree turn. The wing spar of the airplane sustained structural damage. No preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane were reported.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

the failure of the pilot to maintain directional control of the tail wheel equipped airplane during landing, which resulted in a ground loop.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 12/16/2003
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 900
Event Time Zone Mountain Standard Time
Event City PRESCOTT
Event State ARIZONA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 86301
Event Date Year 2003
Event Date Month 12
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 343916N
Event Location Longitude 1122510W
Event Location Airport Ernest A. Love Field Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID PRC
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 --
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID PRC
Elevation of weather observation facility --
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) --
Time Zone of the weather observation --
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 21
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 10
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 230
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 3
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.45
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 15207
NTSB Notification Source FAA
NTSB Notification Date Dec 19 2003 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1300
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Mar 30 2004 8:14AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\MONR
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office WP-SDL-FSDO

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N4380T
NTSB Number LAX04CA072
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? No
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion --
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Piper
Aircraft Model PA-18
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 18-2679
Certified Max Gross Weight --
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 --
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection --
Date of Last Inspection --
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 TDH Investments
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City --
Aircraft Owner State --
Aircraft Owner Country --
Aircraft Owner Zipcode --
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name MICHAEL TIM HENDRIKSON
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address --
Operator City DEWEY
Operator State AZ
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 86327
Operator Code --
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? --
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation --
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 --
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code 19AZ
Departure City CAMP VERDE
Departure State AZ
Departure Country USA
Departure Time --
Departure Time Zone MST
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code PRC
Destination City PRESCOTT
Destination State AZ
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Landing - roll
Report sent to ICAO? No
Evacuation occurred No
Date of most recent change to record Jan 22 2004 3:06PM
User who most recently changed record COOS
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 21L
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --