DAYTONA BEACH, FL, USA
N27235
Walden A. Cooper PITTS S1S
The pilot stated the landing on runway 5 was normal and during landing rollout, the rudder suddenly went full to the right and the aircraft veered to the right. He could not regain control and the aircraft went off the runway and collided with a hangar. Post crash examination of the aircraft by an FAA inspector showed the forward tail wheel attach bolt had sheared and the tail wheel had collapsed to the right and deflected the rudder to the right. The remains of the sheared bolt could not be removed and was not retained for further examination.
On April 11, 2000, about 1530 eastern daylight time, a Cooper Pitts S1S, N27235, registered to a private individual, went off the runway and collided with a hangar during landing at Spruce Creek Airport, Daytona Beach, Florida, while on a Title 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed. The aircraft received substantial damage and the commercial-rated pilot was not injured. The flight originated from Fernandina Beach, Florida, the same day, about 1445. The pilot stated the landing on runway 4 was normal. During landing rollout, the rudder suddenly went full to the right and the aircraft immediately turned to the right and went off the runway. He was unable to regain directional control and the aircraft collided with a hangar. His postcrash examination of the aircraft showed the forward tail wheel attach bolt had broken and the tail wheel had collapsed to the right and jammed the rudder to the right. The NTSB was not notified of the accident until April 21, 2000. The aircraft was examined by an FAA inspector after the accident. The inspector could not remove the remains of the failed bolt from the tail wheel and it was not retained for further examination.
Collapse of the tail wheel to the right during landing rollout when the forward attach bolt sheared for undetermined reasons. This resulted in the aircraft's rudder deflecting to the right, the pilot losing directional control, and the aircraft running off the runway and colliding with a hangar.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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