# Accident 19971213041239A: Cessna 180H, Santa Ynez, CA, December 13, 1997

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: December 13, 1997, 12:00 local time
- Place: Santa Ynez, CA
- Airport: Santa Ynez Airport
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Roll-Out (Fixed Wing)
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 34.6068° N, 120.0760° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs at Santa Ynez Airport (IZA), within about a mile (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=34.6068&lon=-120.0760&mi=10
- Aircraft: N123LJ, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N123LJ) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Cessna 180H (registry code 2072618, https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-180h) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Continental O-470 series (registry code 17026, https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-o-470-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA 180H
- Reported engine: CONT O470R
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 4,079 total, 3,800 in this make and model, 13 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB LAX98LA060](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX98LA060) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19971213041239A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

ON DECEMBER 13, 1997, AT 1200 HOURS PACIFIC STANDARD TIME, THE PILOT OF A CESSNA 180H, N123LJ, MADE A HARD LANDING AND VEERED OFF RUNWAY 08 AT THE SANTA YNEZ, CALIFORNIA, AIRPORT. THE AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. THE OWNER/PILOT AND A PILOT-RATED PASSENGER WERE NOT INJURED. VISUAL METEOROLGICAL CONDITIONS EXISTED FOR THE PERSONAL FLIGHT THAT ORIGINATED FROM THE VAN NUYS, CALIFORNIA, AIRPORT AT 1100. AN OFFICAL OF THE AIRPORT, WHO WAS A WITNESS TO THE ACCIDENT, REPORTED THAT THE PILOT MADE LEFT TRAFFIC FOR RUNWAY 08, WHICH HAS A PUBLISHED RIGHT-HAND TRAFFIC PATTERN DUE TO NOISE ABATEMENT PROCEDURES. THE WITNESS OBSERVED THE WINDS TO BE FROM APPROXIMATELY 130 DEGREES GUSTING TO APPRODXIMATELY 30-35 KNOTS. THE PILOT STATED TO THE WITNESS THAT HE MADE REPEATED ATTEMPTS TO CONTACT UNICOM FOR AIRPORT ADVISORIES, BUT WAS UNABLE TO RECEIVE A RESPONSE. IT WAS REPORTED TO THE WITNESS THAT THE PERSON WHO WAS MONITORING UNICOM RECEIVED THE PILOTS TRANSMISSIONS AND MADE REPEATED ATTEMPTS TO PROVIDE AIRPORT ADVISORIES TO THE PILOT. A CESSNA 210 WAS IN THE PATTERN FOR LANDING BEHIND THE ACCIDENT AIRCRAFT AND HEARD THE REPEATED ATTEMPTS BY THE PILOT TO CONTACT UNICOM, AND UNICOMS SUBSEQUENT ATTEMPTS TO RESPOND TO THE PILOT. ACCORDING TO THE WITNESS, THE PILOT OF THE CESSNA 210 ELECTED NOT TO LAND AT THE AIRPORT DUE TO THE AIRPORT ADVISORIES THAT UNICOM HAD BROADCAST. AFTER THE ACCIDENT, THE PILOT REPORTED TO THE WITNESS THAT HE WOULD NOT HAVE ATTEMPTED TO LAND AT THE AIRPORT HAD HE BEEN ABLE TO RECEIVE AIRPORT ADVISORIES FROM UNICOM. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT THE FLIGHT FROM VAN NUYS TO SANTA YNEZ WAS UNEVENTFUL. HE OVERFLEWTHE  AIRPORT AND CHECKED THE WINDSOCK, NOTING THAT THE WINDS WERE AT A DIRECT 90(-23) PILOT LANDED/LOST CONTRO DURING 25-30 KNOT DIRECT X-WIND.  GROUND LOOPED-DAMAGED LEFT WING AND LEFT MAIN GEAR.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB LAX98LA060](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX98LA060), Dec 13, 1997: Cessna 180H (N123LJ), Santa Ynez, CA, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's improper flare. Related factors were the crosswind conditions.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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