Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Larimore, North Dakota 58458
Wednesday, February 9, 2005 16:45 CST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The airplane nosed over following a collision with a snow bank while landing. The purpose of the flight was for the certified flight instructor (CFI) to provide tailwheel training to a private pilot who was taking a tailwheel transition course. The CFI stated the student made the first landing. The CFI stated he then demonstrated a wheel landing. The student made two more landings with little assistance. The accident occurred on the student's fourth landing of the flight. The CFI stated the student landed on the main gear and after the tailwheel came down the airplane "turned slightly left of centerline." He stated the student overcorrected and the airplane veered abruptly to the right. The CFI stated he applied full left rudder, but it was too late. The airplane ground looped, struck a snow bank on side of the runway, and nosed over.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The CFI's delay in applying remedial action which resulted in a loss of directional control of the airplane. Factors associated with the accident were the student's excessive application of rudder and the snow bank which the airplane contacted.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 2/9/2005
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1645
Event Time Zone Central Standard Time
Event City Larimore
Event State NORTH DAKOTA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 58458
Event Date Year 2005
Event Date Month 2
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 475425N
Event Location Longitude 0973826W
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 --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID GFK
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) -11
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -14
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 180
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 4
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.13
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) 17550
NTSB Notification Source FAA
NTSB Notification Date Feb 9 2005 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1907
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Apr 28 2005 2:59PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\JOHB
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Fargo, ND FSDO

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N66ND
NTSB Number CHI05CA068
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-18-150
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 1809046
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 UND Aerospace
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Grand Forks
Aircraft Owner State ND
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode --
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) Instructional
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code GFK
Departure City Grand Forks
Departure State ND
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1600
Departure Time Zone CST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code 2L1
Destination City Larimore
Destination State ND
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? No
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record --
User who most recently changed record --
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location --
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --