19980912035209A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Cessna STC180 · Lakeshore, MD · September 12, 1998

Date: September 12, 1998 · 16:30 local
Place: Lakeshore, MD
Airport: Mountain Road Airport
Phase of flight: Roll-Out (Fixed Wing)
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N6503A
NTSB investigation: NTSBNYC98LA186
Reported as: Cessna STC180
Reported engine: Continental O470K
People aboard: 3
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 11,729 total214 in this make and model190 in the last 90 days

N6503ARegistered now · Cessna 180S/N 32400 · Built 1956 Airframe modelCessna 180 Engine modelContinental O-470 seriesReciprocating

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry 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.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

During roll-out, the right nose gear failed, causing the nosegear strut to dig into the soft dirt. The aircraft pivoted around the broken strut, which induced a side load on the left float attach struts which then failed, resulting in the left float folding under the aircraft. (Above from -23) FM03 (.4) the airplane entered a left downwind for the west runway. On final, the pilot lowered the landing gear, selected full flaps, and touched-down smoothly approximately 300-400 feet down the 1,800 foot grass strip. While rolling out, and approximately 30 mph, the airplane yawed right about 170 degrees causing the left float to collapse and fold under the airplane. The right float's nose wheel was found in an area of loose dirt ABOUT40 feet prior to the airplane's final resting. Examination of the right float's nose wheel revealed marks consistent with a preexisting fatigue crack.

As the FAA filed it

DURING ROLL-OUT, THE RIGHT NOSE GEAR FAILED, CAUSING THE NOSEGEAR STRUT TO DIG INTO THE SOFT DIRT. THE AIRCRAFT PIVOTED AROUND THE BROKEN STRUT, WHICH INDUCED A SIDE LOAD ON THE LEFT FLOAT ATTACH STRUTS WHICH THEN FAILED, RESULTING IN THE LEFT FLOAT FOLDING UNDER THE AIRCRAFT. (ABOVE FROM -23) FM03 (.4) THE AIRPLANE ENTERED A LEFT DOWNWIND FOR THE WEST RUNWAY. ON FINAL, THE PILOT LOWERED THE LANDING GEAR, SELECTED FULL FLAPS, AND TOUCHED-DOWN SMOOTHLY APPROXIMATELY 300-400 FEET DOWN THE 1,800 FOOT GRASS STRIP. WHILE ROLLING OUT, AND APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH, THE AIRPLANE YAWED RIGHT ABOUT 170 DEGREES CAUSING THE LEFT FLOAT TO COLLAPSE AND FOLD UNDER THE AIRPLANE. THE RIGHT FLOAT'S NOSE WHEEL WAS FOUND IN AN AREA OF LOOSE DIRT ABOUT40 FEET PRIOR TO THE AIRPLANE'S FINAL RESTING. EXAMINATION OF THE RIGHT FLOAT'S NOSE WHEEL REVEALED MARKS CONSISTENT WITH A PREEXISTING FATIGUE CRACK.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB NYC98LA186Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportLakeshore, MDFailures of the right float's nose wheel do to a preexisting fatigue crack.Sep 12, 1998 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N6503A · 1

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

Accident 19910621023399ALevel Off Touchdown · Grand Rapids, MNBounced on water landing. Wind gust tipped aircraft. A wing hit water and floatplane flipped over.Jun 21, 1991 · Substantial damage