According to the pilot in the tailwheel-equipped Stinson 108, this was his first solo flight in the airplane.
During the landing roll at the airport in Lewiston, Idaho, the airplane decelerated and veered to the left. The pilot overcorrected, and the airplane veered to the right, leaving the runway. The left wing hit the ground during the right ground loop.
The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left-wing spar and aileron.
The METAR at the airport reported that, about the time of the accident, the wind was calm, and the sky was clear.
The pilot noted in the National Transportation Safety Board’s Pilot Aviation Accident Report Operator/Owner Safety Recommendation section that this type of accident could have been prevented if he had “flown with a properly rated pilot (tailwheel endorsed) and practiced landings before flying solo.”
Probable cause: The pilot’s failure to maintain directional control during the landing roll. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s failure to obtain appropriate training in the airplane before flying solo.
NTSB Identification: GAA18CA028
This October 2017 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.
I didn’t know any better I guess. I bought a 7AC looked high and low for a TW instructor. I settled on a CPP
instructor. I had no problem to solo. If I had believed every bs story I read after solo and how dangerous a TW aircraft was I would never had gotten anywhere. Those TW’s will teach you to taxi at prudent speeds and watch where the wing is coming from. As for the sun issue use dark shades and look to the sides not through the windshield all the time.
Sure, go fly that tailwheel aircraft You don’t need an instructor or an endorsement…..oops !
Now what will you do after the expensive repair to the aircraft ?
Yet more stupid pilot tricks.
It used to be that there was no such thing as a tailwheel endorsement. I wonder how the current requirement for an endorsement has reduced accidents? Love to see the stats on that.
In the old days we checked ourselves out on different aircraft. Shocking, I know. I don’t recall anymore accidents than those of today. Stupid pilot tricks still occur.
As a tailwheel instructor, I’m not generally condoning self-instruction, but excepting the legality, it certainly used to be more common than today.
Back in the day, many aircraft were consigned to the salvage yard. Many of these were military aircraft. Pilots washed out and were assigned to desk jobs. There was a war going on and it was a rare case where someone won second and third chances to prove themselves. Now anyone can try this in a desktop simulator and quickly realize that taking a stab at it without some professional pointers will likely lead to a costly mistake.
Wind calm to light and variable. Common ground loop weather. How many taildraggers have to die before people figure out how to fly them?