Houston Southwest Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Houston, Texas 77583
Saturday, March 27, 2010 10:30 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot stated that he locked the tailwheel on his single-engine airplane prior to departure. After takeoff, he stayed in the traffic pattern and landed. However, during the landing rollout the airplane ground-looped and the airplane's lower right wing contacted the ground, breaking the wood spar. The pilot stated that postaccident examination of the airplane indicated that either hardened grease and dirt buildup may have prevented the tailwheel locking mechanism from fully engaging or that the mechanism may have been inadvertently bumped in flight.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's inability to maintain control during landing due to the failure of the tailwheel locking mechanism to remain engaged prior to landing.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 3/27/2010
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1030
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City Houston
Event State TEXAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 77583
Event Date Year 2010
Event Date Month 3
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 293013N
Event Location Longitude 0952822W
Event Location Airport Houston Southwest Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID AXH
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 --
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling --
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) --
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) --
Variable Wind Indicator --
Wind Speed (knots) --
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator --
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
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) 27141
NTSB Notification Source HOU FSDO
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Jul 8 2010 12:36PM
User who most recently changed record bowl
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N32077
NTSB Number CEN10CA213
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 WACO
Aircraft Model YPF-7
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 5709
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 3
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 MEMORIAL AVIATION INC
Aircraft Owner Street Address PO BOX 349
Aircraft Owner City FRESNO
Aircraft Owner State TX
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 77545-0349
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name MEMORIAL AVIATION INC
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address PO BOX 349
Operator City FRESNO
Operator State TX
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 77545-0349
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 AXH
Departure City Houston
Departure State TX
Departure Country USA
Departure Time --
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code AXH
Destination City Houston
Destination State TX
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Feb 6 2012 12:13PM
User who most recently changed record gagc
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 27
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --