Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Abraham Lincoln Capital Airpor Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Springfield, Illinois 62707
Tuesady, July 7, 2009 19:47 CDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The pilot reported that he was landing the tail wheel equipped airplane when the accident happened. He stated that the airplane touched down on one main wheel first and the airplane shifted and rapidly turned right. He stated that the airplane's movement resulted in his passenger's body shifting to the left against the left rudder/brake pedal. The rear seat rudder pedals are located near the front seat occupant's hips. The pilot stated that he attempted to correct with left rudder, but was unable due to the obstruction of the rudder pedal by the front seat passenger's body. The airplane subsequently ground looped. The damage to the airplane included collapse of the main landing gear, damage to the left lower wing, and damage to the upper wing.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot's inability to maintain directional control while landing due to the unintentional obstruction of the rudder by the passenger.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 7/7/2009 |
| Event Day of the Week | Tuesday |
| Time of Event | 1947 |
| Event Time Zone | Central Daylight Time |
| Event City | Springfield |
| Event State | ILLINOIS |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 62707 |
| Event Date Year | 2009 |
| Event Date Month | 7 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 395039n |
| Event Location Longitude | 0894041w |
| Event Location Airport | Abraham Lincoln Capital Airpor |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | SPI |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | On Airport |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 0 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | 597 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1952 Central Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 0 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | SPI |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 597 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 0 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | CDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | 10000 |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | -- |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Unknown |
| 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) | 26 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 21 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 0 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 0 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 29.85 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | METAR KSPI 080052Z 00000KT 10SM BKN100 26/21 A2985 |
| 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) | 25824 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA-AGL-ROC |
| NTSB Notification Date | -- |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Sep 28 2009 1:15AM |
| User who most recently changed record | lema |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N18BT |
| NTSB Number | CEN09CA421 |
| 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 | PITTS |
| Aircraft Model | S-2A |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 2221 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 1575 |
| 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 | 2 |
| Number of Engines | 1 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Fixed |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Annual |
| Date of Last Inspection | Jul 1 2009 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- |
| Airframe Hours | 2590 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | Unknown |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | Unknown |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | VORTEX GENERATIONS INC |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 14824 N PRICHARD RD |
| Aircraft Owner City | LEWISTOWN |
| Aircraft Owner State | IL |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 61542 |
| Operator is an individual? | Yes |
| Operator Name | Mark Gadert |
| Operator Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Street Address | 2218 Greenbriar |
| Operator City | Springfield |
| Operator State | IL |
| Operator Country | USA |
| 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 | -- |
| 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 | Yes |
| Departure Airport Code | SPI |
| Departure City | Springfield |
| Departure State | IL |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1900 |
| Departure Time Zone | CDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere |
| Destination Airport Code | SPI |
| Destination City | Springfield |
| Destination State | IL |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jul 28 2009 5:09PM |
| User who most recently changed record | brajo |
| Since inspection or accident | Last Inspection |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 31 |
| Runway Length | 7400 |
| Runway Width | 150 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |