Tailwheel Checkout Didn't Go So Well

The old adage "Any landing you can walk away from is a good one" may seem like a bit of a stretch in most situations, but it applies to Donald Kilday's first solo landing in his recently purchased Citabria (similar aircraft pictured in file photo).

On Wednesday, Mr. Kilday was flying with an instructor at Genoa Municipal Airport in Nebraska, practicing touch and go landings on the 2500 foot runway. After a few landings Kilday wanted to go it alone; what happened next was any instructor's nightmare. According to John Hall, chairman of the airport authority, while attempting to land Kilday applied too much power causing a torque roll, which resulted in a loss of control. The airplane departed the runway, bounced across the highway and came to rest nose-down in a tree. Fortunately Mr. Kilday's injuries were minor and he was taken to Genoa Community Hospital for treatment.

The Columbus Telegram reports that Nance County Sheriff Dave Moore said Kilday couldn't initially remember the accident. "The main thing is I think everyone is going to walk away fine from it,” Moore said.

The aircraft had visible damage to its fuselage, and was going to be removed from the site and taken to the airport. Mr. Hall said Kilday is in his 70's and has a pilot's license, and that he'd just purchased the airplane a few weeks prior to the accident.

FMI: www.faa.gov, www.ntsb.gov