A 2T biplane CFI and student ground looped at toa, ca.

Attributes
ACN	614887
Time
Date	200404
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : toa.airport
State Reference	CA
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	ground : takeoff roll
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	instruction : instructor
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 30 flight time total : 17000 flight time type : 200
ASRS Report	614887
Person 2
Affiliation	other
Function	instruction : trainee
Events
Anomaly	excursion : runway non adherence : published procedure other anomaly
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : regained aircraft control
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

After instructional flight with an 80+ yr old student in the aft seat of the biplane, I needed to make 3 full stop lndgs to satisfy future currency needs as the old gentleman who owned the aircraft flew with large time gaps between flts. On the third landing -- normal with a slight left crosswind, I touched down on centerline and waited to apply full backstick to track the tailwheel. With the aircraft slowing with full backstick, it started a slight turn to the left which increased rapidly. I have a lot of tail dragger experience, but I couldn't get enough right rudder to counteract the suddenly increasing left turn, so I went with the turn and exited the runway on the left side to keep from dragging the right wingtip. We were in the grass bordering the runway and I kept the turn going till we did a 360 degrees and were back on the runway. I think the student in the back inadvertently hit the left heel brake (he did it before on takeoff) which put the aircraft on a veering path beyond control. He didn't admit it, but later said he had problems with the rudder/heel brake controls and his 'big feet.' no damage to the aircraft or runway/grass, just my pride.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A 2T BIPLANE CFI AND STUDENT GND LOOPED AT TOA, CA.

Narrative: AFTER INSTRUCTIONAL FLT WITH AN 80+ YR OLD STUDENT IN THE AFT SEAT OF THE BIPLANE, I NEEDED TO MAKE 3 FULL STOP LNDGS TO SATISFY FUTURE CURRENCY NEEDS AS THE OLD GENTLEMAN WHO OWNED THE ACFT FLEW WITH LARGE TIME GAPS BTWN FLTS. ON THE THIRD LNDG -- NORMAL WITH A SLIGHT L XWIND, I TOUCHED DOWN ON CTRLINE AND WAITED TO APPLY FULL BACKSTICK TO TRACK THE TAILWHEEL. WITH THE ACFT SLOWING WITH FULL BACKSTICK, IT STARTED A SLIGHT TURN TO THE L WHICH INCREASED RAPIDLY. I HAVE A LOT OF TAIL DRAGGER EXPERIENCE, BUT I COULDN'T GET ENOUGH R RUDDER TO COUNTERACT THE SUDDENLY INCREASING L TURN, SO I WENT WITH THE TURN AND EXITED THE RWY ON THE L SIDE TO KEEP FROM DRAGGING THE R WINGTIP. WE WERE IN THE GRASS BORDERING THE RWY AND I KEPT THE TURN GOING TILL WE DID A 360 DEGS AND WERE BACK ON THE RWY. I THINK THE STUDENT IN THE BACK INADVERTENTLY HIT THE L HEEL BRAKE (HE DID IT BEFORE ON TKOF) WHICH PUT THE ACFT ON A VEERING PATH BEYOND CTL. HE DIDN'T ADMIT IT, BUT LATER SAID HE HAD PROBS WITH THE RUDDER/HEEL BRAKE CTLS AND HIS 'BIG FEET.' NO DAMAGE TO THE ACFT OR RWY/GRASS, JUST MY PRIDE.

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.