Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Elkhart, Indiana 46514
Sunday, August 15, 2004 15:23 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The tailwheel airplane sustained substantial damage when the airplane ground looped during a landing on runway. The pilot's accident report stated, "Landed and during rollout [pilot in command] seat fell backwards. Pilot was unable to control rollout and airplane ground looped."

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The failure of the seat during landing roll and the subsequent pilot's airplane handling not being possible.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/15/2004
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1523
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City Elkhart
Event State INDIANA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 46514
Event Date Year 2004
Event Date Month 8
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 414310N
Event Location Longitude 0860006W
Event Location Airport --
Event Location Nearest Airport ID --
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport --
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1539 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID EKM
Elevation of weather observation facility 778
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 8500
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 1000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 25
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 12
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) --
Variable Wind Indicator --
Wind Speed (knots) --
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
Wind Gust Indicator Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.28
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 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 16673
NTSB Notification Source FAA
NTSB Notification Date Aug 17 2004 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1406
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Dec 3 2004 9:35AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\MONR
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office South Bend, IN, FSDO

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N4303A
NTSB Number CHI04CA228
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 None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Piper
Aircraft Model PA-22-150
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 22-3653
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 2
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 Craig David Nelund
Aircraft Owner Street Address 503 E. Colfax Ave
Aircraft Owner City South Bend
Aircraft Owner State IN
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 46617
Operator is an individual? No
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? --
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 No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code --
Departure City Elkhart
Departure State IN
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1510
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code EKM
Destination City Elkhart
Destination State IN
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
Report sent to ICAO? No
Evacuation occurred No
Date of most recent change to record Sep 17 2004 3:51PM
User who most recently changed record DINC
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location --
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --