Narrative:

Although I interpret NTSB 830 as not requiring a report, I am filing this ASRS report for protection. At approximately X30 on 5/sat/90, at grants pass, or, I ground-looped my small aircraft XXXX, damaging both wing tips, propeller, spinner, etc, as a result of losing directional control. According to NTSB 830, 'bent fairings or cowling, dented skin, small punctured holes in the sin or fabric, ground damage to rotor or propeller blades and damage to landing gear, wheels, tires, flaps,engine accessories, brakes or wing tips are not considered 'substantial damage' for the purpose of this part.' I had just purchased the aircraft, and had done some taxiing to familiarize myself with ground-handling and decided to do some airwork before taking the aircraft home. This model airplane should be landed and launched on the front fuel tank, but the rear tank should be used first to preserve proper cg; however, once in the air, I realized that I had forgotten whether the handle or the pointer indicated the tank in use, and not wanting to chance engine stoppage in the air, decided to return to the field for a little more briefing from the builder. As I landed, the short-coupled aircraft simply got away from me and, at 70 or so mph we well and truly went round and round, contacting the ground with several different part of the aircraft. My parents always said that an education should be worth something, and this one was worth a considerable amount. After rebuilding, I will be much better equipped to deal with the handling qualities of this aircraft. Incidentally, I have about 1000 hours of tail-dragger time, and overconfidence may have risen and bit me.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA HOMEBUILT GND LOOP. ACFT DAMAGED.

Narrative: ALTHOUGH I INTERPRET NTSB 830 AS NOT REQUIRING A RPT, I AM FILING THIS ASRS RPT FOR PROTECTION. AT APPROX X30 ON 5/SAT/90, AT GRANTS PASS, OR, I GND-LOOPED MY SMA XXXX, DAMAGING BOTH WING TIPS, PROP, SPINNER, ETC, AS A RESULT OF LOSING DIRECTIONAL CONTROL. ACCORDING TO NTSB 830, 'BENT FAIRINGS OR COWLING, DENTED SKIN, SMALL PUNCTURED HOLES IN THE SIN OR FABRIC, GND DAMAGE TO ROTOR OR PROP BLADES AND DAMAGE TO LNDG GEAR, WHEELS, TIRES, FLAPS,ENG ACCESSORIES, BRAKES OR WING TIPS ARE NOT CONSIDERED 'SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE' FOR THE PURPOSE OF THIS PART.' I HAD JUST PURCHASED THE ACFT, AND HAD DONE SOME TAXIING TO FAMILIARIZE MYSELF WITH GND-HANDLING AND DECIDED TO DO SOME AIRWORK BEFORE TAKING THE ACFT HOME. THIS MODEL AIRPLANE SHOULD BE LANDED AND LAUNCHED ON THE FRONT FUEL TANK, BUT THE REAR TANK SHOULD BE USED FIRST TO PRESERVE PROPER CG; HOWEVER, ONCE IN THE AIR, I REALIZED THAT I HAD FORGOTTEN WHETHER THE HANDLE OR THE POINTER INDICATED THE TANK IN USE, AND NOT WANTING TO CHANCE ENG STOPPAGE IN THE AIR, DECIDED TO RETURN TO THE FIELD FOR A LITTLE MORE BRIEFING FROM THE BUILDER. AS I LANDED, THE SHORT-COUPLED ACFT SIMPLY GOT AWAY FROM ME AND, AT 70 OR SO MPH WE WELL AND TRULY WENT ROUND AND ROUND, CONTACTING THE GND WITH SEVERAL DIFFERENT PART OF THE ACFT. MY PARENTS ALWAYS SAID THAT AN EDUCATION SHOULD BE WORTH SOMETHING, AND THIS ONE WAS WORTH A CONSIDERABLE AMOUNT. AFTER REBUILDING, I WILL BE MUCH BETTER EQUIPPED TO DEAL WITH THE HANDLING QUALITIES OF THIS ACFT. INCIDENTALLY, I HAVE ABOUT 1000 HRS OF TAIL-DRAGGER TIME, AND OVERCONFIDENCE MAY HAVE RISEN AND BIT ME.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.