Primary finding
Probable cause
failure of the pilot to maintain directional control.
Investigator assessment
Analysis narrative
The pilot made a wheel landing, and held the tailwheel off of the runway as long as possible. When the tailwheel contacted the runway the pilot lost directional control and ground-looped. Examination of the airplane revealed no control or tailwheel discrepancies.
Source record
Factual narrative
On May 26, 1994, at 1530 central daylight time, a Grumman Agcat G-164-A, operated by Robert's Aerial Service, Inc., sustained substantial damage when it ground looped during landing roll at La Moure Rott Municipal Airport, La Moure, North Dakota. The commercial pilot was not injured. No flight plan was filed for the aerial application flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time. The pilot reported he had made a wheel landing, as the tailwheel touched down it started spinning and shimmying to the point where he lost directional control. On site inspection of the tailwheel assembly did not reveal any defects. It was not loose or worn and was properly attached. The left landing gear had been severed from the aircraft, damage had been sustained to both sets of wings, the propeller had been bent. -