What's the best course of action in the event of a ground loop?

moespeeds · #1 12-15-2021, 07:45 AM

I see tons of info out there on how to avoid a ground loop, and of course avoiding it altogether is always best. But in the event you do go for a ride, what's the best thing to do?

Let the controls go? Both brakes? Inside or Outside brake?

odens_14 · #2 12-15-2021, 07:54 AM

I got my tailwheel endorsement in a Stinson with no right side brakes; while my instructor was showing me s-turns on the ground he lost it and yelled "DON'T TOUCH THE BRAKES". we spun around maybe 270 degrees but were slow enough we were never in danger of tipping.

All that to say, at least per my instructor "DON'T TOUCH THE BRAKES!!!"

ETA: this is after the ground loop is imminent, I agree with others that you should use opposite brake to prevent a ground loop while still making forward progress. once the tail is coming around, I feel adding brakes will increases the chance of tipping and scraping a wing or worse.

DanH · #3 12-15-2021, 07:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by moespeeds

But in the event you do go for a ride, what's the best thing to do?

Lie about it....

Dan 57 · #4 12-15-2021, 08:00 AM

Reach for your cell and order the necessary parts...

94kb · #5 12-15-2021, 08:27 AM

Get clean underwear.

Taltruda · #6 12-15-2021, 08:27 AM

Try to stop the ground loop and fight it all the way! If it’s going left, I would use full right rudder, right brake, left aileron, and full power. The power may provide the necessary airflow over the tail to prevent it. Plus if you can get it airborne, you are no longer a tailwheel aircraft and can just fly it away. It’s my understanding that when a -8 gets groundlooped, often times the fuselage gets tweaked because the gear towers are kinda weak..

Veetail88 · #7 12-15-2021, 08:44 AM

I ground looped the 8 pretty early on. Unfortunately it was at a towered class D airport and I took out a marker light on my way off the pavement. As such, it was reported and I had a little conversation with the FAA. Dude was good about it and asked if I learned anything from it. I wanted to say "yeah, don't do it at a towered airport", but rather talked about what happened. He was convinced, and as the only damage was the light, (which apparently get run down frequently) my right wheel pant and my ego, he said he marked our conversation as "additional training has been given" and that was that.

The problem was that a gust caught me just as I slowed enough where I ran out of rudder authority and I went into the grass and stopped 180 degrees into it. Fortunately missing the big runway number sign by a couple of feet.

On debrief in my own head, I thought I might have saved it by applying the right brake when I ran out of rudder (looped to the left). I'd not needed to try out the theory in the next 800 hours until this past weekend. Exact same scenario (different airport) only this time, with quite a bit more experience, when I was running out of rudder and beginning to lose it, muscle memory automatically pushed on the brake. Straightened it right out. Gotta be careful when the wind is 16 gusting to 28 at 50 degrees out of alignment with the runway..... Maybe just should have left it in the hangar.

Daida · #8 12-15-2021, 09:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DanH

Lie about it....

liked that one.........but....

I like to say that there are only two kind of pilots around.
The ones who already did a ground loop, and the ones who will do one sooner or later. There is no third kind....

besides that, if you are beyond the recovery point and going for a ride, i would pull mixture cut off, get on the brakes (not full but firm) and pull the stick.
i would try to safe the engine from a prop strike, decrease energy and hope for a god outcome.

Prepperpilot · #9 12-15-2021, 09:50 AM

I talk myself down all the time.
Left crosswind.
"Left Aileron, Right Rudder, Left Aileron, Right Rudder." Repeat.
Reverse opposite direction.
Oh, and do the Rudder Dance until you come to a stop.
Oh, and Go Around, try again if its sketchy.

David Paule · #10 12-15-2021, 10:27 AM

Stick back,
Power idle or off,
Get off the brakes.

A full groundloop is one thing. Those three things might help to keep you from going up on the nose or over - although probably it's already too late for aft stick to do any good.

If you're going fast enough that the elevator is effective, then certainly full aft stick. And you might try a bit of rudder and brake to correct, possibly power. But once the event is out of your control or the tail starts to come up, go to aft stick, no power, no brakes.

Dave