What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) A wheel landing was initiated on rwy 16R. However, when the tail wheel touched down, the aircraft entered an uncontrolled right hand turn. Left brake was applied; however, the aircraft continued the uncontrolled right turn. The left wing and horizontal stabilizer hit the runway prior to the aircraft coming to a rest. Initial investigation revealed the tail wheel would lock in the extreme right turn position. (.19) on December 18, 2001, about 1330 hours pacific standard time, a Cessna 185F, N5172R, ground looped on landing at Reno, Nevada. The commercial pilot/owner was operating the airplane under the provisions of 14 CFR part 91. The pilot and one passenger were not injured; the airplane sustained substantial damage. The personal cross-country flight departed carson city, Nevada, about 1320. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed. The pilot stated the landing was uneventful until he lowered the tail to the ground. The airplane suddenly veered to the left and ground looped. The left wing and horizontal stabilizer contacted the ground, resulting in substantial damage. The federal aviation administration acc ident coordinator completed a preliminary examination of the airplane. The pilot told him that on several previous occasions the tail wheel seemed to stick initially and cause the airplane to deviate from the selected track but would eventually free up and track straight. The accident coordinator determined the tail wheel rotated freely until he moved it to its maximum left deflection limit; the tail wheel locked in this position.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) A WHEEL LANDING WAS INITIATED ON RWY 16R. HOWEVER, WHEN THE TAIL WHEEL TOUCHED DOWN, THE AIRCRAFT ENTERED AN UNCONTROLLED RIGHT HAND TURN. LEFT BRAKE WAS APPLIED; HOWEVER, THE AIRCRAFT CONTINUED THE UNCONTROLLED RIGHT TURN. THE LEFT WING AND HORIZONTAL STABILIZER HIT THE RUNWAY PRIOR TO THE AIRCRAFT COMING TO A REST. INITIAL INVESTIGATION REVEALED THE TAIL WHEEL WOULD LOCK IN THE EXTREME RIGHT TURN POSITION. (.19) ON DECEMBER 18, 2001, ABOUT 1330 HOURS PACIFIC STANDARD TIME, A CESSNA 185F, N5172R, GROUND LOOPED ON LANDING AT RENO, NEVADA. THE COMMERCIAL PILOT/OWNER WAS OPERATING THE AIRPLANE UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF 14 CFR PART 91. THE PILOT AND ONE PASSENGER WERE NOT INJURED; THE AIRPLANE SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. THE PERSONAL CROSS-COUNTRY FLIGHT DEPARTED CARSON CITY, NEVADA, ABOUT 1320. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED, AND NO FLIGHT PLAN HAD BEEN FILED. THE PILOT STATED THE LANDING WAS UNEVENTFUL UNTIL HE LOWERED THE TAIL TO THE GROUND. THE AIRPLANE SUDDENLY VEERED TO THE LEFT AND GROUND LOOPED. THE LEFT WING AND HORIZONTAL STABILIZER CONTACTED THE GROUND, RESULTING IN SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. THE FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION ACC IDENT COORDINATOR COMPLETED A PRELIMINARY EXAMINATION OF THE AIRPLANE. THE PILOT TOLD HIM THAT ON SEVERAL PREVIOUS OCCASIONS THE TAIL WHEEL SEEMED TO STICK INITIALLY AND CAUSE THE AIRPLANE TO DEVIATE FROM THE SELECTED TRACK BUT WOULD EVENTUALLY FREE UP AND TRACK STRAIGHT. THE ACCIDENT COORDINATOR DETERMINED THE TAIL WHEEL ROTATED FREELY UNTIL HE MOVED IT TO ITS MAXIMUM LEFT DEFLECTION LIMIT; THE TAIL WHEEL LOCKED IN THIS POSITION.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.
Other reports on N5172R · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.