Taylorcraft F21B accident near Simsbury, Connecticut, July 12, 2001
On July 12, 2001 at about 11:45 am local time, a Taylorcraft F21B, registered N4418U, was substantially damaged in an accident near Simsbury, Connecticut (Simsbury 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).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
**This report was modified on 2/24/2016. Refer to the public docket for this accident for additional details.** a loose tail wheel assembly and the failure of maintenance personnel to adequately follow annual inspection procedures. A factor in the accident was the crosswind.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 12, 2001 · about 11:45 am local time
- Place
- Simsbury, Connecticut · Simsbury Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Taylorcraft F21B · all F21Bs on the register
- Registration
- N4418U · registry record · serial 1518
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the CFI, the private pilot was executing touch and go's on runway 03. During the third landing, after touchdown, the airplane's tailwheel began to "chatter." The airplane started to veer to the right and did not respond to left rudder or brake inputs by the CFI, who had taken over the controls. The airplane then departed the right side of the runway and nosed over. Examination of the airplane revealed that the high and low frequency anti-shimmy compression springs on the tailwheel assembly "had slack." The "slack" allowed for about 2 inches of rudder movement before the compression springs became effective. Review of the airplane's maintenance records revealed that it had seven annual inspections performed after the installation of the tailwheel assembly. The most recent annual inspection was conducted about four months prior to the accident, and the airplane had accumulated about 15 hours of operation since. According to FAA regulations, Appendix D of Part 43, Scope And Detail Of Items To Be Included In Annual And 100-Hour Inspections, each person performing an annual or 100-hour inspection shall inspect all units of the landing gear group for poor condition and insecurity of attachment. The winds reported at a nearby airport, about the time of the accident, were from 320 degrees at 10 knots.
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
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 8,650 hours in all; 50 in this make and model; 100 in the last 90 days; 50 in the last 30 days; 8,600 as pilot in command; 2,000 on instruments
- Last flight review: June 6, 2001
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 106 hours in all; 24 in this make and model; 23 in the last 90 days; 12 in the last 30 days; 19 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: December 15, 2000
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 453 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 4, 2001; 15 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,750 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-L2C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 4B9 Simsbury CT at 11:15 am
- Destination: 4B9
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 03, 2,205 ft by 50 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 320° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 6,000 ft
- Temperature: 68°F (20°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 29.76 inHg
- Observation at 11:51 am from BDL, 4 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.