What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Acft ground looped on landing, Abilene, TX (.4) during landing roll on runway 35L, the aircraft ground looped. The pilot reported that during the approach, at about 300 feet, he noticed `left crosswind gusts.' After normal main wheel contact (wheel landing) the `aircraft started scooting right while trying to weathervane to the left.' The reported wind conditions at the time of the accident was from 290 degrees at 13 knots, gusting to 17 knots. (-23) pilot stated that during the landing roll-out on runway 35L, a strong crosswind gust hit the aircraft from the left hand side, raised the left wing and caused the aircraft to "ground-loop." The pilot was experienced in crosswind landings in the Cessna 180. This aircraft is notorious for being unpredictable during crosswind landings, and a sudden gust of wind like the one experienced by the pilot of N4775B can often result in a "ground-loop" with even the most experienced pilots at the controls.
As the FAA filed it
ACFT GROUND LOOPED ON LANDING, ABILENE, TX (.4) DURING LANDING ROLL ON RUNWAY 35L, THE AIRCRAFT GROUND LOOPED. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT DURING THE APPROACH, AT ABOUT 300 FEET, HE NOTICED `LEFT CROSSWIND GUSTS.' AFTER NORMAL MAIN WHEEL CONTACT (WHEEL LANDING) THE `AIRCRAFT STARTED SCOOTING RIGHT WHILE TRYING TO WEATHERVANE TO THE LEFT.' THE REPORTED WIND CONDITIONS AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT WAS FROM 290 DEGREES AT 13 KNOTS, GUSTING TO 17 KNOTS. (-23) PILOT STATED THAT DURING THE LANDING ROLL-OUT ON RUNWAY 35L, A STRONG CROSSWIND GUST HIT THE AIRCRAFT FROM THE LEFT HAND SIDE, RAISED THE LEFT WING AND CAUSED THE AIRCRAFT TO "GROUND-LOOP." THE PILOT WAS EXPERIENCED IN CROSSWIND LANDINGS IN THE CESSNA 180. THIS AIRCRAFT IS NOTORIOUS FOR BEING UNPREDICTABLE DURING CROSSWIND LANDINGS, AND A SUDDEN GUST OF WIND LIKE THE ONE EXPERIENCED BY THE PILOT OF N4775B CAN OFTEN RESULT IN A "GROUND-LOOP" WITH EVEN THE MOST EXPERIENCED PILOTS AT THE CONTROLS.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.