Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Suffolk Executive Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Suffolk, Virginia 23434
Thursday, June 17, 2010 13:15 EDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
According to statements from the certificated flight instructor (CFI) and the certificated airline transport pilot (ATP), the ATP was seated in the front seat receiving dual instruction to "re-qualify" in the tailwheel-equipped airplane. Previously that day, the front-seat pilot had performed two uneventful takeoffs and landings. The accident flight departed runway 25, with winds estimated to be from 270 degrees to 290 degrees at 5 to 8 mph, and remained in the traffic pattern. While on the downwind leg abeam the runway, the landing gear were extended and the flaps were extended to 20 degrees. The front-seat pilot turned the airplane from base leg to final, and with full flaps extended after crossing the threshold, reduced power and attained a three-point landing attitude. The landing was "smooth and on-centerline," but at 50 knots, the front seat pilot felt a "bump and shimmy," while the CFI felt a "slight bump, much like a skip, followed immediately by the 'feeling' of a very slight yaw of the tail to the left." The CFI took control of the airplane and applied full left rudder and brake, but the airplane did not respond. The airplane departed the right side of the runway and the left wing contacted the ground, resulting in substantial damage to it. Postaccident inspection and operational testing of the tailwheel lock and unlock assembly revealed no mechanical anomalies. No elongation of the hole for the locking or unlocking was noted, and visual inspection of the pin revealed no deformation. The cable and pulley system for the lock and unlock was found to operate normally. Additional inspection of the airplane, its brake system, and tailwheel assembly by a mechanic with a reported 30 years' experience with the airplane also revealed no preexisting mechanical issues.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during the landing.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 6/17/2010 |
| Event Day of the Week | Thursday |
| Time of Event | 1315 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Daylight Time |
| Event City | Suffolk |
| Event State | VIRGINIA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 23434 |
| Event Date Year | 2010 |
| Event Date Month | 6 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 364056N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0763606W |
| Event Location Airport | Suffolk Executive Airport |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | SFQ |
| 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 | 72 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1320 Eastern Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | -- |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | SFQ |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 72 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | -- |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | EDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | -- |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 5500 |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Scattered |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 10 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 32 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 21 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 290 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 6 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 29.95 |
| 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) | 27407 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA Eastern 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 5 2010 9:53AM |
| User who most recently changed record | coxp |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N43NA |
| NTSB Number | ERA10CA329 |
| 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 | NORTH AMERICAN |
| Aircraft Model | SNJ-4 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 8811798 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 5300 |
| 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 | Retractable |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Annual |
| Date of Last Inspection | May 5 2010 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- |
| Airframe Hours | 6525 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | Unknown |
| Aircraft Owner Name | TRAINING SERVICES INC DBA |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 4455 SOUTH BLVD |
| Aircraft Owner City | VIRGINIA BEACH |
| Aircraft Owner State | VA |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 23452-1159 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | TRAINING SERVICES INC DBA |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | 4455 SOUTH BLVD |
| Operator City | VIRGINIA BEACH |
| Operator State | VA |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 23452-1159 |
| 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) | Instructional |
| Second Pilot on Board | Yes |
| Departure Point Same as Event | Yes |
| Departure Airport Code | SFQ |
| Departure City | Suffolk |
| Departure State | VA |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1310 |
| Departure Time Zone | EDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | crash at destination city |
| Destination Airport Code | SFQ |
| Destination City | Suffolk |
| Destination State | VA |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jul 19 2010 1:34PM |
| User who most recently changed record | mont |
| Since inspection or accident | Time of Accident |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 25 |
| Runway Length | 4700 |
| Runway Width | 100 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |