Waco GXE N903H

Summary

On 11 June 2005 at about 15:24 local time, a Waco GXE registered N903H was involved in an accident near Paducah, Kentucky, United States. 2 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

11 June 2005 at 15:24

Classification

Accident

Location

Paducah, Kentucky, United States

Nearest airport

Barkley Regional Airport (PAH)

Coordinates

37.0608, -88.7736

Aircraft

Waco GXE

Registration

N903H

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Lebanon → Paducah

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

IAD05LA074

Nobody was injured.

The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during landing resulting in a ground loop and impact with the runway. A factor in the accident was the limited authority of the tailwheel steering system.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

After purchasing a tailwheel equipped antique biplane, the pilot departed on the first leg of a cross-country flight to his home airport. While attempting to land at an airport for a rest stop, the pilot executed a low power, steep approach to the asphalt runway. During the flare for landing, the airplane touched down early, skipped, became airborne, and touched down a second time. The airplane then swerved to the right, and ground looped, substantially damaging the airplane. Examination of the landing gear revealed that the main landing gear wheels were "toed out" approximately 2-degrees. The tailwheel steering springs that connected the rudder to the tailwheel were "small," and the tailwheel would release to "full swivel" at a steering angle less than that required for full rudder deflection. The pilot believed however; that the airplane could have been controlled during the landing if differential braking was used to correct a significant swerve. He also stated that, had he discovered that the tailwheel would "release steering," he would have had another tailwheel installed before flying the airplane home.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.