According to the pilot of the tailwheel-equipped Luscombe 8, he landed on the turf runway in Conway, Arkansas, and the airplane began to drift left.
He made a right rudder pedal input that did not counter the left drift, so he adjusted his foot on the right rudder pedal so that he could apply differential braking.
However, his “shoe was caught between the rudder pedal and the sheet metal fairing on the floorboard that covers the rudder pedal bell cranks,” which prevented him from applying differential braking.
The airplane left the runway to the left and ground looped. The right main landing gear collapsed and the right wing hit the ground. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right-wing spar and right aileron.
Probable cause: The pilot’s failure to maintain directional control of the airplane during the landing roll, which resulted in a runway excursion and ground loop.
NTSB Identification: GAA17CA066
This November 2016 accident report is provided by the National Transportation Safety Board. Published as an educational tool, it is intended to help pilots learn from the misfortunes of others.
