<< >> NASA ASRS Report 309900, July 1995

Small aircraft aircraft damaged as pilot performs an intentional ground loop when unable to stop his aircraft on the grass runway.

Attributes
ACN	309900
Time
Date	199507
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : 7la1 airport : 7la2
State Reference	LA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	landing other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 65 flight time total : 1400 flight time type : 70
ASRS Report	309900
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Airport
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

While making an approach to birdwin field, I observed rain showers to the southwest. The only standing water observed, from the air, was on the far east end, in the thicker grass on the runway. Upon touchdown the brakes were gradually applied, due to the wet conditions of the field. The aircraft began accelerating due to it hydroplaning, I then began applying hard braking, to no avail. (The power was at idle since the flare). The only option was to turn the aircraft to the right to stop it, causing it to ground loop, where upon the left wingtip and 1 blade of the propeller struck the ground. Upon securing the aircraft, I was informed that a rain shower had just passed. I then observed the ground which was well saturated. The aircraft hydroplaned at least 1200 ft. To correct the situation, I should have landed sooner, within the first 400 ft of the runway allowing a longer rollout.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA ACFT DAMAGED AS PLT PERFORMS AN INTENTIONAL GND LOOP WHEN UNABLE TO STOP HIS ACFT ON THE GRASS RWY.

Narrative: WHILE MAKING AN APCH TO BIRDWIN FIELD, I OBSERVED RAIN SHOWERS TO THE SW. THE ONLY STANDING WATER OBSERVED, FROM THE AIR, WAS ON THE FAR E END, IN THE THICKER GRASS ON THE RWY. UPON TOUCHDOWN THE BRAKES WERE GRADUALLY APPLIED, DUE TO THE WET CONDITIONS OF THE FIELD. THE ACFT BEGAN ACCELERATING DUE TO IT HYDROPLANING, I THEN BEGAN APPLYING HARD BRAKING, TO NO AVAIL. (THE PWR WAS AT IDLE SINCE THE FLARE). THE ONLY OPTION WAS TO TURN THE ACFT TO THE R TO STOP IT, CAUSING IT TO GND LOOP, WHERE UPON THE L WINGTIP AND 1 BLADE OF THE PROP STRUCK THE GND. UPON SECURING THE ACFT, I WAS INFORMED THAT A RAIN SHOWER HAD JUST PASSED. I THEN OBSERVED THE GND WHICH WAS WELL SATURATED. THE ACFT HYDROPLANED AT LEAST 1200 FT. TO CORRECT THE SIT, I SHOULD HAVE LANDED SOONER, WITHIN THE FIRST 400 FT OF THE RWY ALLOWING A LONGER ROLLOUT.

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.