N4418 is a 1928 Curtiss Wright TRAVEL AIR 4000. It is a fixed-wing single-engine aircraft with 3 seats, powered by a Wright CURTISS OX5 rated at 90 horsepower. The registration is active, with the registrant based in Wilmington, DE. Its standard airworthiness certificate was issued in Apr 1943. It has been registered to its current owner since Mar 2014. This page also carries 2 NTSB events.
- 98 years old
- 1 of 55 Curtiss Wright TRAVEL AIR 4000
2014
1943
That's everything on file so far — TailWiki checks the FAA registry daily and adds new entries as N4418's record changes.
During the landing roll on runway 28 in crosswind conditions, the pilot said the airplane swerved to the left, ground looped and the main landing gear collapsed. The reported winds at the time of the accident were 180 degrees at 9 knots. He said that he inadvertently applied uneven pressure to the rudder pedals during the landing roll.
Following an uneventful commercial air tour sightseeing flight in the 1928 model biplane, the pilot returned to the departure airport and prepared for landing on runway 24. The pilot stated that during his approach, air traffic control tower personnel reported that the wind was from 180 degrees at 5 knots. The pilot stated that he compensated for the wind by initiating a crab, and he landed on the runway. During the landing rollout, the airplane's lower right wing impacted the runway. The airplane suddenly reversed direction and ground looped to a stop.
On April 30, 2008, the operator's Director of Maintenance reported to the National Transportation Safety Board investigator that he had inspected the accident airplane and found no evidence of any preimpact mechanical malfunction. He reported that, during the ground loop event, three of the lower right wing's ribs were cracked, and its front and rear spars were broken.
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