Pilots lose control of small aircraft tail dragger during bounced landing.

Attributes
ACN	675527
Time
Date	200510
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : mrn.airport
State Reference	NC
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Champion Citabria 7ECA
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	landing : roll
Route In Use	approach : visual
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 3.9 flight time total : 1027 flight time type : 113.7
ASRS Report	675527
Person 2
Affiliation	other
Function	observation : passenger
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

A problem arose during the landing of the aircraft. 2 rated pilots were aboard. The PIC (me) flared too high on landing; over-corrected; and caused the aircraft to bounce several times. The second pilot (the passenger) attempted to take control of the aircraft. During the ensuing confusion; the aircraft left the runway damaging the landing gear and causing a propeller strike. A possible contributing factor in the incident was that a clear understanding did not exist between the 2 pilots regarding xfer of PIC responsibility. While this incident may possibly be outside of the scope of this reporting system; it is clear that a well understood agreement between 2 pilots aboard the same aircraft regarding xfer of PIC responsibility that is made prior to commencement of flight can be a critical factor in problem avoidance.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLTS LOSE CTL OF SMA TAIL DRAGGER DURING BOUNCED LNDG.

Narrative: A PROB AROSE DURING THE LNDG OF THE ACFT. 2 RATED PLTS WERE ABOARD. THE PIC (ME) FLARED TOO HIGH ON LNDG; OVER-CORRECTED; AND CAUSED THE ACFT TO BOUNCE SEVERAL TIMES. THE SECOND PLT (THE PAX) ATTEMPTED TO TAKE CTL OF THE ACFT. DURING THE ENSUING CONFUSION; THE ACFT LEFT THE RWY DAMAGING THE LNDG GEAR AND CAUSING A PROP STRIKE. A POSSIBLE CONTRIBUTING FACTOR IN THE INCIDENT WAS THAT A CLR UNDERSTANDING DID NOT EXIST BTWN THE 2 PLTS REGARDING XFER OF PIC RESPONSIBILITY. WHILE THIS INCIDENT MAY POSSIBLY BE OUTSIDE OF THE SCOPE OF THIS RPTING SYS; IT IS CLR THAT A WELL UNDERSTOOD AGREEMENT BTWN 2 PLTS ABOARD THE SAME ACFT REGARDING XFER OF PIC RESPONSIBILITY THAT IS MADE PRIOR TO COMMENCEMENT OF FLT CAN BE A CRITICAL FACTOR IN PROB AVOIDANCE.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.