Piper PA 18-150 N4615Y accident near Woodbine, New Jersey

Probable cause

The flight instructor's delayed reaction to the loss of directional control, which resulted in a ground loop.

NTSB analysis

According to the flight instructor, the accident flight was the student pilot's first flight in a tailwheel-equipped airplane. The primary activity for the flight was to be instruction in takeoffs and landings. On the final landing of the flight, the airplane began to "swerve" to the right during the landing roll. In an attempt to regain control of the airplane, the flight instructor added full engine power to go-around. The airplane ground looped, pitched forward, and came to rest inverted. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the vertical stabilizer during the accident sequence, and the instructor did not report any anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for ERA14CA211 for the full record.