# Accident 20011218034099A: Cessna A185F, Reno, NV, December 18, 2001

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: December 18, 2001, 13:35 local time
- Place: Reno, NV
- Airport: Reno/Tahoe International Airport
- Damage: No damage
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 39.4800° N, 119.7395° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.4800&lon=-119.7395&mi=10
- Aircraft: N5172R, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N5172R) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Cessna A185F (registry code 2072821, https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-a185f) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Continental IO-520 series (registry code 17032, https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-io-520-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA A185F
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB LAX02LA052](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX02LA052) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20011218034099A

## Narrative

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

(-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.

## 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 LAX02LA052](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX02LA052), Dec 18, 2001: Cessna 185F (N5172R), Reno, NV, substantial damage. Probable cause: Wear on the tail wheel thrust plate spacers resulted in the compression springs binding on the thrust plates and the tail wheel sticking, so that the pilot could not maintain directional control.

## Other reports on N5172R (1)

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

- [Accident 19790214002929A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19790214002929A), Feb 14, 1979: Cessna 185 (N5172R), York, NE, Substantial damage. Pilot said visability was 2 miles on takeoff. Before he could fly the pattern visibility was down to zero

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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