<< >> NASA ASRS Report 361336, February 1997

Biplane had runway change to runway 21L the shorter runway. Slow in getting tailwheel on the ground and as a result ground looped. On grass area cleared to return to runway and taxi on runway 21L. Thought cleared to back taxi to approach end. Controller advised to taxi across grass to taxiway.

Attributes
ACN	361336
Time
Date	199702
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : sff
State Reference	WA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Other
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	ground other : taxi landing other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : cfi pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 25 flight time total : 1300 flight time type : 15
ASRS Report	361336
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : non radar
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance non adherence : far other anomaly other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance other
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

ATC changed me from runway 21R to runway 21L while I was on base. Runway 21L is shorter and I wanted to be sure I landed short enough. I elected a wheel landing but landed fairly tail low. I didn't pin the tailwheel soon enough and had a minor ground loop to the inter runway grass area. ATC asked if I needed help and instructed me to taxi back onto runway 21L. I did so but understood ATC's instructions to be a back taxi to the approach end taxiway. When I started taxiing ATC advised I was taxiing the wrong way and had me taxi across a grass area to a parallel taxiway. Because the situation was new to both ATC and me, we used non standard terminology. There was preoccupation on my part trying to figure out what caused the ground loop. I think that both ATC and I should have slowed down a little, taken a deep breath and made sure we communicated clearly because of the potential for confusion.

Related reports:

• Private pilot checking out in a C140 in a tailwheel type air...

	Enter your search terms Submit search form
	Web www.37000feet.com

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: BIPLANE HAD RWY CHANGE TO RWY 21L THE SHORTER RWY. SLOW IN GETTING TAILWHEEL ON THE GND AND AS A RESULT GND LOOPED. ON GRASS AREA CLRED TO RETURN TO RWY AND TAXI ON RWY 21L. THOUGHT CLRED TO BACK TAXI TO APCH END. CTLR ADVISED TO TAXI ACROSS GRASS TO TXWY.

Narrative: ATC CHANGED ME FROM RWY 21R TO RWY 21L WHILE I WAS ON BASE. RWY 21L IS SHORTER AND I WANTED TO BE SURE I LANDED SHORT ENOUGH. I ELECTED A WHEEL LNDG BUT LANDED FAIRLY TAIL LOW. I DIDN'T PIN THE TAILWHEEL SOON ENOUGH AND HAD A MINOR GND LOOP TO THE INTER RWY GRASS AREA. ATC ASKED IF I NEEDED HELP AND INSTRUCTED ME TO TAXI BACK ONTO RWY 21L. I DID SO BUT UNDERSTOOD ATC'S INSTRUCTIONS TO BE A BACK TAXI TO THE APCH END TXWY. WHEN I STARTED TAXIING ATC ADVISED I WAS TAXIING THE WRONG WAY AND HAD ME TAXI ACROSS A GRASS AREA TO A PARALLEL TXWY. BECAUSE THE SIT WAS NEW TO BOTH ATC AND ME, WE USED NON STANDARD TERMINOLOGY. THERE WAS PREOCCUPATION ON MY PART TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT CAUSED THE GND LOOP. I THINK THAT BOTH ATC AND I SHOULD HAVE SLOWED DOWN A LITTLE, TAKEN A DEEP BREATH AND MADE SURE WE COMMUNICATED CLRLY BECAUSE OF THE POTENTIAL FOR CONFUSION.

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.