19990621021919A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Cessna 180K · Kotzebue, AK · June 21, 1999

Date
June 21, 1999 · 09:48 local
Place
Kotzebue, AK
Phase of flight
Takeoff Ground Roll
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Substantial damage
Aircraft
N2958K
NTSB investigation
NTSBANC99LA079
Reported as
Cessna 180K
People aboard
2
Fatal injuries
0
Pilot’s flight hours
11,900 total195 in this make and model155 in the last 90 days

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.

(.19) On June 21, 1999, abut 0948 Alaska daylight time, a tundra tire equipped Cessna 180 airplane, N2958K, sustained substantial damage during takeoff from an off-airport site located about 51 miles northeast of Kotzebue, Alaska. The airplane was being operated as a visual flight rules (VFR) personal flight under title 14, CFR part 91, when the accident occurred. The swiss foreign national pilot, who holds a swiss airline transport certificate, and the one passenger aboard were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and a VFR flight plan was filed. During a telephone conversation with the national transportation safety board investigator-in-charge on June 21, the pilot reported that he was attempting a northwesterly departure from a 1,700 feet long off-airport site. He stated that during the early stages of the takeoff roll, the airplane veered to the left. He said that he applied full right rudder in an attempt to correct, but the airplane continued off the left side of the site, pivoted 90 degrees to the left, and nosed over. He stated that the airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage, wings, and lift struts. The pilot reported that the airplane had recently been retrofitted with oversized tundra tires. He added that there were no preaccident mechanical anomalies with the airplane. Wind conditions at the time of the accident were reported to be from the east, at 10 knots. (-23) during a takeoff from squirrel creek, the a/c started to go to the left. privacy data omitted Tried to use right rudder to correct the situation. When this failed to resolve the proble, he closed the throttle and applied the brakes. At this point, privacy data omitted lost control and ground looped the a/c. the a/c came to rest on its back. (.4) on June 21, 1999, about 0948 Alaska daylight time, a tundra tire equipped Cessna 180 airplane, N2958K, sustained substantial damage during takeoff from an off-airport site located about 51 miles northeast of Kotzebue, Alaska. The airplane was being operated as a visual flight rules (VFR) personal flight under title 14, CFR part 91, when the accident occurred. The swiss foreign national pilot, who holds a swiss airline transport certificate, and the one passenger aboard, were not injured. Visual meteorological condi tions prevailed, and a VFR flight plan was filed. During a telephone conversation with the national transportation safety board investigator-in-charge on June 21, the pilot reported that he was attempting a southeasterly departure from a 1,700 feet long off-airport site. He stated that during the early stages of the takeoff roll, the airplane veered to the left. He said that he applied full right rudder in an attempt to correct, but the airplane continued off the left side of the site, pivoted 90 degrees to the left, and nosed over. He stated that the airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage, wings, and lift struts. The pilot reported that the airplane had recently been retrofitted with oversized tundra tires. He added that there were no preaccident mechanical anomalies with the airplane. Wind conditions at the time of the accident were reported to be from the southeast, at 10 knots.

As the FAA filed it

(.19) ON JUNE 21, 1999, ABUT 0948 ALASKA DAYLIGHT TIME, A TUNDRA TIRE EQUIPPED CESSNA 180 AIRPLANE, N2958K, SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE DURING TAKEOFF FROM AN OFF-AIRPORT SITE LOCATED ABOUT 51 MILES NORTHEAST OF KOTZEBUE, ALASKA. THE AIRPLANE WAS BEING OPERATED AS A VISUAL FLIGHT RULES (VFR) PERSONAL FLIGHT UNDER TITLE 14, CFR PART 91, WHEN THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED. THE SWISS FOREIGN NATIONAL PILOT, WHO HOLDS A SWISS AIRLINE TRANSPORT CERTIFICATE, AND THE ONE PASSENGER ABOARD WERE NOT INJURED. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED, AND A VFR FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. DURING A TELEPHONE CONVERSATION WITH THE NATIONAL TRANSPORTATION SAFETY BOARD INVESTIGATOR-IN-CHARGE ON JUNE 21, THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE WAS ATTEMPTING A NORTHWESTERLY DEPARTURE FROM A 1,700 FEET LONG OFF-AIRPORT SITE. HE STATED THAT DURING THE EARLY STAGES OF THE TAKEOFF ROLL, THE AIRPLANE VEERED TO THE LEFT. HE SAID THAT HE APPLIED FULL RIGHT RUDDER IN AN ATTEMPT TO CORRECT, BUT THE AIRPLANE CONTINUED OFF THE LEFT SIDE OF THE SITE, PIVOTED 90 DEGREES TO THE LEFT, AND NOSED OVER. HE STATED THAT THE AIRPLANE SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE FUSELAGE, WINGS, AND LIFT STRUTS. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT THE AIRPLANE HAD RECENTLY BEEN RETROFITTED WITH OVERSIZED TUNDRA TIRES. HE ADDED THAT THERE WERE NO PREACCIDENT MECHANICAL ANOMALIES WITH THE AIRPLANE. WIND CONDITIONS AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT WERE REPORTED TO BE FROM THE EAST, AT 10 KNOTS. (-23) DURING A TAKEOFF FROM SQUIRREL CREEK, THE A/C STARTED TO GO TO THE LEFT. ^PRIVACY D^ TRIED TO USE RIGHT RUDDER TO CORRECT THE SITUATION. WHEN THIS FAILED TO RESOLVE THE PROBLE, HE CLOSED THE THROTTLE AND APPLIED THE BRAKES. AT THIS POINT, ^PRIVACY D^ LOST CONTROL AND GROUND LOOPED THE A/C. THE A/C CAME TO REST ON ITS BACK. (.4) ON JUNE 21, 1999, ABOUT 0948 ALASKA DAYLIGHT TIME, A TUNDRA TIRE EQUIPPED CESSNA 180 AIRPLANE, N2958K, SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE DURING TAKEOFF FROM AN OFF-AIRPORT SITE LOCATED ABOUT 51 MILES NORTHEAST OF KOTZEBUE, ALASKA. THE AIRPLANE WAS BEING OPERATED AS A VISUAL FLIGHT RULES (VFR) PERSONAL FLIGHT UNDER TITLE 14, CFR PART 91, WHEN THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED. THE SWISS FOREIGN NATIONAL PILOT, WHO HOLDS A SWISS AIRLINE TRANSPORT CERTIFICATE, AND THE ONE PASSENGER ABOARD, WERE NOT INJURED. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDI TIONS PREVAILED, AND A VFR FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. DURING A TELEPHONE CONVERSATION WITH THE NATIONAL TRANSPORTATION SAFETY BOARD INVESTIGATOR-IN-CHARGE ON JUNE 21, THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE WAS ATTEMPTING A SOUTHEASTERLY DEPARTURE FROM A 1,700 FEET LONG OFF-AIRPORT SITE. HE STATED THAT DURING THE EARLY STAGES OF THE TAKEOFF ROLL, THE AIRPLANE VEERED TO THE LEFT. HE SAID THAT HE APPLIED FULL RIGHT RUDDER IN AN ATTEMPT TO CORRECT, BUT THE AIRPLANE CONTINUED OFF THE LEFT SIDE OF THE SITE, PIVOTED 90 DEGREES TO THE LEFT, AND NOSED OVER. HE STATED THAT THE AIRPLANE SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE FUSELAGE, WINGS, AND LIFT STRUTS. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT THE AIRPLANE HAD RECENTLY BEEN RETROFITTED WITH OVERSIZED TUNDRA TIRES. HE ADDED THAT THERE WERE NO PREACCIDENT MECHANICAL ANOMALIES WITH THE AIRPLANE. WIND CONDITIONS AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT WERE REPORTED TO BE FROM THE SOUTHEAST, AT 10 KNOTS.

NTSB investigation

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