# Accident 19990307002049A: Cessna 180F, Inyokern, CA, March 7, 1999

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: March 7, 1999, 15:00 local time
- Place: Inyokern, CA
- Airport: Inyokern Airport
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Roll-Out (Fixed Wing)
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 35.8809° N, 118.1501° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.8809&lon=-118.1501&mi=10
- Aircraft: N345RC, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N345RC-2002-03-18) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Cessna 180F (registry code 2072614, https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-180f) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Continental O-470 series (registry code 17026, https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-o-470-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA 180F
- Reported engine: CONT O470R
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 1,154 total, 56 in this make and model, 56 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB LAX99LA114](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX99LA114) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19990307002049A

## Narrative

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

ACFT GROUNG LOOPED ON LANDING, OTHER CIRCUMSTANCES ARE UNKNOWN. (.19) ON MARCH 7, 1999, AT 1500 HOURS PACIFIC STANDARD TIME, A CESSNA 180F, N345RC, GROUND LOOPED WHILE LANDING AT INYOKERN, CALIFORNIA. THE AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE; HOWEVER, THE PRIVATE PILOT AND HIS PASSENGER WERE NOT INJURED. THE AIRCRAFT WAS BEING OPERATED AS A PERSONAL FLIGHT BY THE OWNER/PILOT UNDER 14 CFR PART 91 WHEN THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED FROM THE FURNACE CREEK AIRPORT IN DEATH VALLEY, CALIFORNIA, AT 1400 ON THE AFTERNOON OF THE ACCIDENT. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT AS HE APPROACHED THE AIRPORT HE NOTICED TWO GLIDERS IN THE TRAFFIC PATTERN. HE RADIOED FOR A WIND ESTIMATE AND WAS TOLD TO EXPECT WINDS VARIABLE AT 5 KNOTS, GUSTING TO 10. AS HE CAME NEARER TO THE AIRPORT, HE NOTICED THAT THE TETRAHEDRON WAS INDICATING RUNWAY 33. DURING THE APPROACH, HE APPLIED 20 DEGREES FLAPS AND REDUCED HIS AIRSPEED OVER THE APPROACH END OF THE RUNWAY TO 80 MPH. HE EXECUTED A WHEEL LANDING BUT BEGAN LOSING DIRECTIONAL CONTROL. AS THE AIRCRAFT VEERED OFF THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY HE APPLIED POWER IN             AN ATTEMPTED GO-AROUND BUT DRUG HIS RIGHT WINGTIP IN THE PROCESS. (.4)WINDS WERE VARIABLE AT 5 KNOTS, GUSTING TO 10, WITH THE WIND TEE AND WINDSOCKS INDICATING RUNWAY 33.  THE PILOT EXECUTED A WHEEL LANDING BUT BEGAN LOSING DIRECTIONAL CONTROL TO THE RIGHT JUST AFTER TOUCHDOWN.  HE COUNTERED WITH LEFT RUDDER, BUT THE AIRCRAFT BEGAN TO GROUND LOOP.  THE AIRCRAFT SWERVED LEFT AND SCRAPED THE RIGHT WINGTIP.  HE THEN ATTEMPTED A GO-AROUND, BUT HIS RIGHT WINGTIP STRUCK A SIGN AND THE AIRCRAFT VEERED RIGHT AND STRUCK A FENCE.

## 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 LAX99LA114](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX99LA114), Mar 7, 1999: Cessna 180F (N345RC), Inyokern, CA, substantial damage. Probable cause: the pilot's inadequate compensation for the variable and gusting winds during a wheel landing, which led to a loss of directional control.

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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