Individually Owned: 151,845
Corporate Owned: 143,699
Council Bluffs Municipal Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Council Bluffs, Iowa 51503
Friday, August 31, 2012 7:40 CDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
Immediately after liftoff, the flight instructor simulated an engine failure, and the pilot executed a rejected takeoff, landing on the remaining runway. When the tailwheel contacted the runway, it began to "shimmy violently and disengaged the steering pin." The airplane veered to the left, and the pilot was unable to stop the veer using the right rudder and brake. The airplane exited the left side of the runway while moving sideways to the right. The right main landing gear collapsed, resulting in substantial damage to the right wing. An examination of the tailwheel mechanism showed excessive wear in both the locking collar hole and the drag links in the tailwheel assembly. It was likely that the locking pin had become retracted from the locking collar on the tailwheel at some time during the takeoff or during the landing. Both pilots stated that they had locked the mechanism before takeoff and had good directional control of the airplane during the takeoff run.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
An unlocking of the excessively worn tailwheel lock mechanism, which resulted in a loss of directional control during landing.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 8/31/2012 |
| Event Day of the Week | Friday |
| Time of Event | 740 |
| Event Time Zone | Central Daylight Time |
| Event City | Council Bluffs |
| Event State | IOWA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 51503 |
| Event Date Year | 2012 |
| Event Date Month | 8 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 411522N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0954519W |
| Event Location Airport | Council Bluffs Municipal |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | CBF |
| 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 | 1253 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 735 Central Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 360 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | KCBF |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 1245 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 0 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | CDT |
| 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) | 20 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 14 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 120 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 5 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30.01 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | KCBF 311255Z AUTO 3.54166704KT 10SM CLR 21/14 A300 |
| 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) | 30701 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA Reg'l Opns Center - ACE |
| NTSB Notification Date | -- |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Oct 15 2012 9:58PM |
| User who most recently changed record | latt |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N244GR |
| NTSB Number | CEN12CA607 |
| 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 | AT-6F |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 121-42642 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 5600 |
| Aircraft Category | Airplane |
| Aircraft Registration Class | -- |
| Aircraft is a homebuilt? | No |
| Flight Crew Seats | 2 |
| 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 | Apr 23 2012 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- |
| Airframe Hours | 2800 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | Unknown |
| Aircraft Owner Name | TEXAN THREE LLC |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | -- |
| Aircraft Owner City | Council Bluffs |
| Aircraft Owner State | IA |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 51503 |
| Operator is an individual? | Yes |
| Operator Name | Andrew Gaut |
| Operator Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Street Address | -- |
| Operator City | Council Bluffs |
| Operator State | IA |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 51503 |
| 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 | CBF |
| Departure City | Council Bluffs |
| Departure State | IA |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 740 |
| Departure Time Zone | CDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | crash at destination city |
| Destination Airport Code | CBF |
| Destination City | Council Bluffs |
| Destination State | IA |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Oct 15 2012 9:58PM |
| User who most recently changed record | latt |
| Since inspection or accident | -- |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 18 |
| Runway Length | 5500 |
| Runway Width | 100 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |