North American AT-6F accident near Adrian, Michigan, July 28, 2021
On July 28, 2021 at about 2:00 pm local time, a 1957 North American AT-6F, registered N6601C, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Adrian, Michigan (Lenawee County Airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
Preview. This page is not yet listed for search engines.
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The loss of control during landing due to the out of rig condition of the tailwheel which resulted in a ground loop and impact with the runway.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 28, 2021 · about 2:00 pm local time
- Place
- Adrian, Michigan · Lenawee County Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- North American AT-6F, built 1957 · all AT-6Fs on the register
- Registration
- N6601C · registry record · serial 121-42479
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot receiving instruction during the instructional flight reported that he performed a wheel landing and the airplane touched down on the runway centerline. After the tailwheel touched down onto the runway, the airplane began to track to the left. The pilot began to apply increasing right rudder control input, but the airplane continued to track left. He then applied right “differential steering” and the airplane overshot the runway centerline, tracking right. He was unable to arrest the right track with full left rudder control input and left brake, and the airplane ground looped. The left landing gear collapsed, and the left wing struck the ground. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing spar. A postaccident examination of the airplane revealed that the tailwheel was out of rigging specifications, which would have resulted in a loss of directional control during landing.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Loss of control on ground during landing (landing roll)
- Sys/Comp malf/fail (non-power) during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (landing roll)
- Attempted remediation/recovery during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Nose/tail landing gear › Not specified
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 4,267 hours in all; 14 in this make and model; 41 in the last 90 days; 12 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: July 14, 2021
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
Flight instructor
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 20,000 hours in all; 150 in this make and model; 20 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Unknown
- Seat: rear
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,614 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, July 27, 2021
- Maximum gross weight: 6,000 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Pratt & Whitney R1340-AN-1 (piston); 315 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: DUH Ottawa Lake OH at 12:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 23, 5,001 ft by 100 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 30.06 inHg
- Observation at 9:53 am from ADG
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 2 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number CEN21LA352.