19990521024009A

(.19) On may 21, 1999, at 1709 hours pacific daylight time, a Cessna A185F, N185FM, ground looped while landing at the Elko, Nevada, airport. The aircraft, owned and operated by the Elko daily free press, Elko, sustained substantial damage. The private pilot and three passengers were not injured. The personal cross-country flight conducted under the provisions of 14 CFR part 91, originated at the ukiah, California, airport about 1427, and was terminating at the time of the accident. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed. The pilot reported that he had been setup to land on runway 23, but when he got abeam the threshold, he heard that the winds had shifted to 330 degrees, with gusts to 18 knots. He then initiated a right downwind for runway 30. As he was on the final approach, the winds were reported to be coming from 020 degrees at 10 knots. When the aircraft approached the threshold, the winds had shifted to 040 degrees at 10 to 12 knots. The pilot reported that the aircraft ground looped after landing, and the left wing and elevator struck the ground. The pilot reported that that there was a thunderstorm about 5 miles north of Elko at th e time of the accident. He further stated that another pilot in the area had reported experiencing severe updrafts and downdrafts also around the time of the accident. (.4)the pilot first contacted the air traffic control tower about 10 miles southwest of the airport. He was instructed to enter a left traffic pattern for runway 23, and informed that the winds were from 330 degrees at 10 knots. While abeam the threshold on the downwind leg, he was cleared to land, and informed that the winds were now from 340 degrees at 7 knots and the wind velocity had increased to 18 knots. The pilot then requested to enter a right downwind for runway 30, which was approved, and was told that the winds were now variable from 300 to 030 degrees from 10 to 18 knots. While on final approach for runway 30, he was informed that the winds had shifted to 020 degrees at 15 knots. The final wind check before landing indicated that the winds were from 030 degrees at 16 knots. The aircraft touched down and bounced then veered toward the left edge of the runway. The pilot stated that as he attempted to correct for the left drift, the right wing ro se up and the aircraft crossed the runway in a right arc ont he left main wheel and ground looped at the right edge to the runway. He further reported that approximately 15 miles southwest of Elko he had noticed lightning coming from a cloud 2 to 3 miles northeast of the airport. He also stated that about the same time, an airplane that had just departed reported that they were experiencing major updrafts and downdrafts east of the airport. (-23)pilot was cleared to land on runway 23. Winds were reported as 330 degrees at 10 knots. Then winds were reported to be gusting to 18 knots. Pilot then requested to land on runway 30. The tower cleared him to land. Wind then reported as 020 at 15 knots. Then as 030 at 16 knots. The next tranmission was from the pilot that he hit the ground. The airplane ground looped, striking the left wing and the tail section, also the left main tire was rolled off the rim.