NTSB Factual Report

HISTORY OF FLIGHT

On April 26, 2014, about 1239 eastern daylight time, a Champion 7ECA (Citabria), N9122E, was substantially damaged when it struck a riding mower during landing roll, shortly after landing at Taylorsville Airport (NC2), Taylorsville, North Carolina. The private pilot received minor injuries. The mower operator was fatally injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the personal flight operated under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91, which departed from Crossville Memorial Airport (CSV), Crossville, Tennessee.

According to the pilot, the purpose of his flight was to visit his son who was an airframe and powerplant mechanic at NC2, a privately-owned, uncontrolled airport. He departed CSV about 2 hours and 45 minutes prior to the accident and upon arriving at NC2, entered the left downwind leg of the traffic pattern for runway 08. The pilot announced his position on Unicom, and performed a wheel landing. After touchdown, he lowered the tailwheel onto the runway surface, looked up, and observed that there was a man on a riding mower about 150 feet in front of him. He then "slammed on the brakes." The airplane's nose hit the ground and slid until it struck and then nosed over, on top of the riding mower. After the airplane came to rest, the pilot egressed out of a window. He could hear the mower operator yelling, and "called 911."

PERSONNEL INFORMATION

According to Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) records, the pilot held a private pilot certificate with a rating for airplane single-engine land. His most recent application for an FAA third-class medical certificate was dated February 5, 2013. He reported that he had accrued 855 total hours of flight time, 112 of which were in the accident airplane make and model.

AIRCRAFT INFORMATION

The accident aircraft was a single-engine, tailwheel equipped airplane, powered by a 115 horsepower, air cooled engine, driving a two-bladed, fixed pitch propeller. It was designed for flight training, utility, and personal use, and was equipped with two-seats in a tandem configuration. The fuselage and tail surfaces were constructed of welded metal tubing. The outer shape of the fuselage was created by a combination of wooden formers and longerons, covered with fabric. The cross-section of the metal fuselage truss was triangular, and the strut-braced wings, as well as the fuselage and tail surfaces, were fabric covered, and utilized aluminum ribs.

According to FAA and airplane maintenance records, the accident airplane was manufactured in 1970. The airplane's most recent annual inspection was completed on April 2, 2013. At the time of the inspection, the airplane had accrued approximately 948 total hours of operation.

METEOROLOGICAL INFORMATION

The recorded weather at Hickory Regional Airport (HKY), Hickory, North Carolina, located 14 nautical miles southwest of the accident site, at 1253, included: wind calm, 10 miles visibility, clear, temperature 23 degrees C, dew point 6 degrees C, and an altimeter setting of 30.01 inches of mercury.

AIRPORT INFORMATION

Taylorsville Airport was a privately-owned airport, located one mile northwest of Taylorsville, North Carolina. It was classified by the FAA as a non-towered public use airport. The airport elevation was 109 feet above mean sea level and there was one runway oriented in a 08/26 configuration. Runway 8 was turf, and in good condition. The total length was 2,400 feet long and it was 60 feet wide.

Obstructions were present off the approach end of the runway in the form of 45-foot-tall trees, located 71 feet from the runway threshold, and 113 feet left of the centerline, which required a 1:1 slope to clear.

WRECKAGE AND IMPACT INFORMATION

Examination of the accident site by the North Carolina State Highway Patrol (NCSHP) and an FAA inspector revealed that the airplane appeared to have landed long, along the right edge of Runway 8, and struck the riding mower approximately 180 feet from the end of the runway.

Examination of the riding mower by the FAA and NCSHP revealed that the riding mower was dark green in color, and had been traveling east, parallel to the grass runway (off the right side of the runway and facing away from the landing airplane) when it was struck. Further examination indicated that the airplane's propeller struck the left side of the mower operator, the mower's steering wheel, and the mower's hood. The airplane's right main landing gear then struck the rear of the mower inboard of the left rear tire, pushing the riding mower forward approximately 20 feet, rolling it and the operator over, while the airplane nosed over on top of the operator and riding mower.

Examination of the airplane by an FAA inspector revealed that it was substantially damaged, the right main landing gear assembly was separated from its mounting location, the right wing strut had separated from its lower mounting location and was bent, the left wing strut was separated from its lower mounting location, the wing spar was broken, the propeller was bent, the engine cowling was torn and crushed, the windshield was broken, the empennage was damaged, and the fabric covering, on the fuselage , wings, and empennage, was torn and punctured in numerous places.

MEDICAL AND PATHOLOGICAL INFORMATION

The pilot of the airplane received minor injuries.

The operator of the riding mower was critically injured and succumbed to his injuries on May 15, 2014.

TESTS AND RESEARCH

Airplane Flying Handbook

According to the Airplane Flying Handbook (FAA-H-8083-3A), Tailwheel airplanes are often referred to as conventional gear airplanes. Due to their design and structure, tailwheel airplanes exhibit operational and handling characteristics that are different from those of tricycle gear airplanes. Tailwheel airplanes are not necessarily more difficult to takeoff, land, and/or taxi than tricycle gear airplanes; in fact under certain conditions, they may even handle with less difficulty.

The handbook also stated that since a tailwheel-type airplane rests on the tailwheel as well as the main landing wheels, it assumes a nose-high attitude when on the ground. In most cases this places the engine cowling high enough to restrict the pilot's vision of the area directly ahead of the airplane. Consequently, objects directly ahead of the airplane are difficult, if not impossible, to see.

Additionally, the handbook also stated that on a normal approach, with no wind drift, the longitudinal axis should be kept aligned with the runway centerline throughout the approach and landing and that when landing the descent angle should be controlled throughout the approach so that the airplane will land in the center of the first third of the runway.

Citabria Pilot's Operating Manual

Review of the Citabria Pilot's Operating Manual revealed that it contained landing distance information for the Model 7ECA. Review of the published information revealed, that during landing at gross weight, power off, zero wind, on a hard surface runway (No data was published for turf runways), at sea level at 59 degrees F (15 degrees C), the total distance to clear a 50-foot obstacle at the runway threshold when landing was 775 feet. Ground roll was 400 feet. At 2,500 feet above mean sea level at 50 degrees F (10 degrees C), the total distance to clear a 50-foot obstacle at the runway threshold when landing was 805 feet. Ground roll was 430 feet.

NTSB Probable Cause

The pilot’s improper approach, which resulted in a long landing right of the runway centerline and the airplane’s subsequent collision with a riding mower that would have been difficult for the pilot to see due to its color and the nose-high attitude of the tailwheel-equipped airplane during landing.