Narrative:

The aircraft was coming out of extensive work to make it airworthy. As I do not have any time in a C195; I was required by insurance to receive 25 hours of dual training in the aircraft. The instructor was approved by the insurance company. In an attempt to verify all system were working properly; the instructor and I determined to do 2-4 high speed taxies. There was no intention of flight at the time of the mishap. As we took the runway for the first taxi; the instructor requested he take the throttle; but did not say he was taking the other controls. Intending to keep the tail on the ground for the first run; the yoke was full back. The instructor pushed the throttle forward and I compensated with right rudder. I am uncertain of the speed we attained; but I believe it wasn't more than 30-35 mph -- certainly the tail never left the ground. The instructor pulled the throttle back. Not anticipating this; I still held right rudder and we began veering right of centerline; but not seriously. I backed off the right rudder at the same time the instructor came up onto the rudder pedals. We came back to center; then left of center. To this point; our movements were not dramatic. My feet remained on the floor. The instructor began braking. We were slowing at this point. Either the right brake was a bit more effective or the instructor consciously added right brake to come back to centerline. Either way; a swerve to the right leading into a 270 degree ground loop to the right occurred. We were slow enough that we did not strike the propeller or wing. I believe there were 2 things that I should have done/said; but given I was there as a student; with an instructor; I felt awkward doing so at the time. First; when the instructor said he was going to take the throttle; I should have spoken up and said that he either take all the controls or I take all the controls. With him operating the throttle; I could not properly anticipate when to add right rudder to compensate for torque; p-factor; etc. In a tailwheel aircraft; that is important. This was inadequate communication between the instructor and I. The second thing I should have done was to remind the instructor to keep his heels down on the floor. 195's have very touchy brakes. We were not swerving or listing across the runway in a serious manner prior to the ground loop. We had the steering tailwheel on the ground and plenty of runway both to the sides and ahead. We would have slowed fine without the brakes.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: WITH INSTRUCTOR AND ZERO TIME IN TYPE STUDENT SHARING THE FLT CONTROLS AND THROTTLE; C195 GROUND LOOPS DURING HIGH SPEED TAXI TEST.

Narrative: THE ACFT WAS COMING OUT OF EXTENSIVE WORK TO MAKE IT AIRWORTHY. AS I DO NOT HAVE ANY TIME IN A C195; I WAS REQUIRED BY INSURANCE TO RECEIVE 25 HRS OF DUAL TRAINING IN THE ACFT. THE INSTRUCTOR WAS APPROVED BY THE INSURANCE COMPANY. IN AN ATTEMPT TO VERIFY ALL SYS WERE WORKING PROPERLY; THE INSTRUCTOR AND I DETERMINED TO DO 2-4 HIGH SPD TAXIES. THERE WAS NO INTENTION OF FLT AT THE TIME OF THE MISHAP. AS WE TOOK THE RWY FOR THE FIRST TAXI; THE INSTRUCTOR REQUESTED HE TAKE THE THROTTLE; BUT DID NOT SAY HE WAS TAKING THE OTHER CTLS. INTENDING TO KEEP THE TAIL ON THE GND FOR THE FIRST RUN; THE YOKE WAS FULL BACK. THE INSTRUCTOR PUSHED THE THROTTLE FORWARD AND I COMPENSATED WITH R RUDDER. I AM UNCERTAIN OF THE SPD WE ATTAINED; BUT I BELIEVE IT WASN'T MORE THAN 30-35 MPH -- CERTAINLY THE TAIL NEVER LEFT THE GND. THE INSTRUCTOR PULLED THE THROTTLE BACK. NOT ANTICIPATING THIS; I STILL HELD R RUDDER AND WE BEGAN VEERING R OF CTRLINE; BUT NOT SERIOUSLY. I BACKED OFF THE R RUDDER AT THE SAME TIME THE INSTRUCTOR CAME UP ONTO THE RUDDER PEDALS. WE CAME BACK TO CTR; THEN L OF CTR. TO THIS POINT; OUR MOVEMENTS WERE NOT DRAMATIC. MY FEET REMAINED ON THE FLOOR. THE INSTRUCTOR BEGAN BRAKING. WE WERE SLOWING AT THIS POINT. EITHER THE R BRAKE WAS A BIT MORE EFFECTIVE OR THE INSTRUCTOR CONSCIOUSLY ADDED R BRAKE TO COME BACK TO CTRLINE. EITHER WAY; A SWERVE TO THE R LEADING INTO A 270 DEG GND LOOP TO THE RIGHT OCCURRED. WE WERE SLOW ENOUGH THAT WE DID NOT STRIKE THE PROP OR WING. I BELIEVE THERE WERE 2 THINGS THAT I SHOULD HAVE DONE/SAID; BUT GIVEN I WAS THERE AS A STUDENT; WITH AN INSTRUCTOR; I FELT AWKWARD DOING SO AT THE TIME. FIRST; WHEN THE INSTRUCTOR SAID HE WAS GOING TO TAKE THE THROTTLE; I SHOULD HAVE SPOKEN UP AND SAID THAT HE EITHER TAKE ALL THE CTLS OR I TAKE ALL THE CTLS. WITH HIM OPERATING THE THROTTLE; I COULD NOT PROPERLY ANTICIPATE WHEN TO ADD R RUDDER TO COMPENSATE FOR TORQUE; P-FACTOR; ETC. IN A TAILWHEEL ACFT; THAT IS IMPORTANT. THIS WAS INADEQUATE COM BTWN THE INSTRUCTOR AND I. THE SECOND THING I SHOULD HAVE DONE WAS TO REMIND THE INSTRUCTOR TO KEEP HIS HEELS DOWN ON THE FLOOR. 195'S HAVE VERY TOUCHY BRAKES. WE WERE NOT SWERVING OR LISTING ACROSS THE RWY IN A SERIOUS MANNER PRIOR TO THE GND LOOP. WE HAD THE STEERING TAILWHEEL ON THE GND AND PLENTY OF RWY BOTH TO THE SIDES AND AHEAD. WE WOULD HAVE SLOWED FINE WITHOUT THE BRAKES.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 2009 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.