North American AT-6D N3771M

Summary

On 24 October 2021 at about 19:45 local time, a North American AT-6D registered N3771M was involved in an accident near Pickens, South Carolina, 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

24 October 2021 at 19:45

Classification

Accident

Location

Pickens, South Carolina, United States

Nearest airport

Pickens County (LQK)

Coordinates

34.8040, -82.7090

Aircraft

North American AT-6D

Registration

N3771M

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Rome → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ERA22LA032

Nobody was injured.

The pilot’s failure to maintain directional control during landing, resulting in a runway excursion and collision with rocky terrain.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot reported that he was landing his tailwheel airplane at his home airport at the conclusion of a cross-country trip. The approach and touchdown were normal. The tail came down “a little sooner than I expected” and the airplane briefly lifted off again a few inches. After the airplane touched down again, it began to ground loop, and departed the side of the runway about 1/3 of the way down from the approach end. The airplane continued through the grass and down a drop off, striking several large rocks before coming to a stop. The left main landing gear sheared off and structural damage to the lower fuselage and left wing resulted. The pilot stated that the accident was “pure pilot error” and there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.