North American SNJ-4 N43NA

Summary

On 17 June 2010 at about 17:15 local time, a North American SNJ-4 registered N43NA, operated by Training Services Inc DBA, was involved in an accident near Suffolk, Virginia, 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

17 June 2010 at 17:15

Classification

Accident

Location

Suffolk, Virginia, United States

Nearest airport

Suffolk Executive Airport (SFQ)

Coordinates

36.6822, -76.6017

Aircraft

North American SNJ-4

Registration

N43NA

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Training Services Inc DBA

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Instructional

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Suffolk → Suffolk

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ERA10CA329

Nobody was injured.

The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during the landing.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

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.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.