Boeing E75 N4859N accident near Centerville, Tennessee

Probable cause

The pilot receiving instruction’s failure to maintain directional control during the landing roll and the flight instructor’s delayed remedial action.

NTSB analysis

The pilot receiving instruction reported that, during the landing roll before stopping, the tailwheel-equipped biplane "made a sudden move to [the] left." He added that the flight instructor's quick reactions kept the biplane on the runway and going straight.

The pilot then regained control of the biplane, and the left wing dropped and "despite corrective inputs on the controls would not respond to further control inputs," and the airplane then ground looped to the right. Subsequently, the left main landing gear collapsed, and the biplane came to rest nose down on the runway.

The biplane sustained substantial damage to all four wings and fuselage.

The pilot reported that "it was [his] personal contention and belief that the upper left gear failed[,] resulting in substantial damage to the [biplane] and the resultant ground loop." He added that "[he] did not believe that this particular incident could have been prevented."

A review of a video of the accident showed, in part, a loss of control early in the landing roll, followed by a subsequent loss of control and ground loop to the right.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for GAA17CA504 for the full record.