Hanford Municipal Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Hanford, California 93245
Wednesday, April 5, 2006 18:15 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The airplane ground looped while on the landing roll. The pilot, who had just purchased the airplane and only had 11 hours experience in tail wheel equipped aircraft, was attempting a wheel landing with no flaps. Upon touchdown, the airplane veered to the left of the runway centerline. The pilot lowered the tail wheel, and as it came into contact with the runway surface, the airplane swerved to the right. The pilot attempted to correct the veering by applying full left rudder input and brake pressure. With the airplane diverging about 30 degrees from the runway centerline, the pilot opted to make a go-around and applied full power. The airplane departed off the right side of the runway into the soft mud of a recently plowed field. The airplane nosed over when the landing gear encountered soft mud.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

the pilot's failure to maintain directional control.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/5/2006
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1815
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City Hanford
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 93245
Event Date Year 2006
Event Date Month 4
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 361900N
Event Location Longitude 1193739W
Event Location Airport Hanford Municipal Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID HJO
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 Pilot
Time of the weather observation
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID --
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 Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 7
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 18
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) --
Variable Wind Indicator --
Wind Speed (knots) --
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.02
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 Docket Number (internal use) 20052
NTSB Notification Source FAA
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Aug 29 2006 3:49PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\JOHB
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N5561C
NTSB Number LAX06CA137
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
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 --
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Cessna
Aircraft Model 170A
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 19614
Certified Max Gross Weight --
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class --
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 --
ELT Activated --
ELT Aided Location of Event Site --
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Richard DeWalt
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Lemoore
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode --
Operator is an individual? Yes
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 --
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code HJO
Departure City Hanford
Departure State CA
Departure Country USA
Departure Time --
Departure Time Zone --
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code HJO
Destination City Hanford
Destination State CA
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record May 11 2006 1:45PM
User who most recently changed record COOS
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 32
Runway Length 5175
Runway Width 75
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --