19990301001949A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Cessna 185 · Durango, CO · March 1, 1999

Date: March 1, 1999
Place: Durango, CO
Airport: Durango-La Plata County
Phase of flight: Roll-Out (Fixed Wing)
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N9823X
NTSB investigation: NTSBDEN99LA045
Reported as: Cessna 185
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0

N9823XRegistered now · Cessna 185S/N 185-0023 · Built 1961 Airframe modelCessna 185 Engine modelContinental I0-470 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.

Pilot was practicing touch and go landings, and the acft ground looped on the rwy after landing and sustained substantial damage. (.19) on March 1, 1999, at 1602 mountain standard time, Cessna 185, N9823X, was substantially damaged when it collided with terrain during landing roll at the Durango-La Plata County Airport, Durango, Colorado. The private pilot, the sole occupant aboard, was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed for the personal flight being conducted under title 14 CFR part 91. The flight originated at Durango approximately 1545. According to the pilot, he had intended to practice takeoffs and landings, and this was his first landing attempt. He said the wind was between 230 and 250 degrees and between 12 and 18 mph as he approached runway 20. Despite holding full left rudder during the landing, the airplane ground looped to the right.

As the FAA filed it

PILOT WAS PRACTICING TOUCH AND GO LANDINGS, AND THE ACFT GROUND LOOPED ON THE RWY AFTER LANDING AND SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. (.19) ON MARCH 1, 1999, AT 1602 MOUNTAIN STANDARD TIME, CESSNA 185, N9823X, WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED WHEN IT COLLIDED WITH TERRAIN DURING LANDING ROLL AT THE DURANGO-LA PLATA COUNTY AIRPORT, DURANGO, COLORADO. THE PRIVATE PILOT, THE SOLE OCCUPANT ABOARD, WAS NOT INJURED. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED, AND NO FLIGHT PLAN HAD BEEN FILED FOR THE PERSONAL FLIGHT BEING CONDUCTED UNDER TITLE 14 CFR PART 91. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED AT DURANGO APPROXIMATELY 1545. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, HE HAD INTENDED TO PRACTICE TAKEOFFS AND LANDINGS, AND THIS WAS HIS FIRST LANDING ATTEMPT. HE SAID THE WIND WAS BETWEEN 230 AND 250 DEGREES AND BETWEEN 12 AND 18 MPH AS HE APPROACHED RUNWAY 20. DESPITE HOLDING FULL LEFT RUDDER DURING THE LANDING, THE AIRPLANE GROUND LOOPED TO THE RIGHT.

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 DEN99LA045Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportDurango, COThe pilot's failure to maintain directional control and inadvertently allowing the airplane to ground loop. Factors were gusty crosswind conditions, pertinent crosswind information not made available by the manufacturer, and FAA's inadequate certification and…Mar 1, 1999 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N9823X · 3

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

Incident 20020113036059IRoll-Out (Fixed Wing) · Chama, NM(-23) On January 13, 2003 at 1600 MST a Cessna 185 registered to richard d. jay flipped over landing on a snow covered runway at Chama airport, Chama new Mexico, while on a personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight…Jan 13, 2002 · Minor damage Accident 19920613019979ARoll-Out (Fixed Wing) · Durango, COHigh and fast. Landed long. Hit brakes hard to prevent overrun. Locked mains and flipped over.Jun 13, 1992 · Substantial damage Accident 19890816027749ARoll-Out (Fixed Wing) · Durango, COLost control and ground looped trying to land in a strong crosswind.Aug 16, 1989 · Substantial damage