<< >> NASA ASRS Report 163009, October 1990

Pilot of experimental biplane aircraft on test flight had difficulty controling aircraft. Engine oil pressure problem. Radio communication problem. Declined emergency equipment. Managed to land, but ground-looped at 15 KTS on rollout.

Attributes
ACN	163009
Time
Date	199010
Place
Locale Reference	airport : sdm
State Reference	CA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft
Flight Phase	landing other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 10 flight time total : 5000
ASRS Report	163009
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : non radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified cockpit
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Radio reception was intermittent in vicinity of tower as at times was unable to hear or contact same. Called and stated my condition and intention to land. When I turned to enter downwind was asked by tower if I was in need of emergency vehs and I replied negative, that I thought I would make it ok. Was cleared to land 26R, call on final. Called on base and was cleared to land. Just as I was flaring out at T/D, encountered gust or downdraft. Right wing lifted or left wing dropped just as contact was made with ground and with quartering crosswind. Ground-looped, being unable to apply sufficient rudder. It was a mild one at approximately 15 mph. This was embarrassing, but plane is quite susceptible to ground loops.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF EXPERIMENTAL BIPLANE ACFT ON TEST FLT HAD DIFFICULTY CTLING ACFT. ENGINE OIL PRESSURE PROBLEM. RADIO COM PROBLEM. DECLINED EMERGENCY EQUIPMENT. MANAGED TO LAND, BUT GND-LOOPED AT 15 KTS ON ROLLOUT.

Narrative: RADIO RECEPTION WAS INTERMITTENT IN VICINITY OF TWR AS AT TIMES WAS UNABLE TO HEAR OR CONTACT SAME. CALLED AND STATED MY CONDITION AND INTENTION TO LAND. WHEN I TURNED TO ENTER DOWNWIND WAS ASKED BY TWR IF I WAS IN NEED OF EMER VEHS AND I REPLIED NEGATIVE, THAT I THOUGHT I WOULD MAKE IT OK. WAS CLRED TO LAND 26R, CALL ON FINAL. CALLED ON BASE AND WAS CLRED TO LAND. JUST AS I WAS FLARING OUT AT T/D, ENCOUNTERED GUST OR DOWNDRAFT. RIGHT WING LIFTED OR LEFT WING DROPPED JUST AS CONTACT WAS MADE WITH GND AND WITH QUARTERING XWIND. GND-LOOPED, BEING UNABLE TO APPLY SUFFICIENT RUDDER. IT WAS A MILD ONE AT APPROX 15 MPH. THIS WAS EMBARRASSING, BUT PLANE IS QUITE SUSCEPTIBLE TO GND LOOPS.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.