20120831021949A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Cessna A185F · Black Rock City, NV · August 31, 2012

Date: August 31, 2012 · 09:30 local
Place: Black Rock City, NV
Airport: Black Rock City
Phase of flight: Takeoff: Departure Roll
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N3946Q
NTSB investigation: NTSBWPR12CA381
Reported as: Cessna A185F
Reported engine: Continental IO-520 series
People aboard: 4
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificate: Private pilot
Pilot’s flight hours: 665 total230 in this make and model4 in the last 90 days

N3946QRegistered now · Cessna A185FS/N 18502213 · Built 1973 Airframe modelCessna A185F Engine modelContinental IO-520 seriesReciprocating

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.

The pilot reported in an email statement that the plane landed 16.8 NM north east of Black Rock City on a small playa on a south west heading. After approximately 15 minutes on the ground the plane was taxied to the south east corner of the lake bed for take off. At the time of departure the wind was approximately 5-10 KTS out of the west. Full brakes were applied and the engine brought to full power before releasing the brakes for take off. Approximately 5-10 seconds into the take off roll the airplane started to weathervane/pull to the left. I was unable to counteract the left turn with the rudder so the take off was aborted by cutting the power. The brakes were applied gradually with right rudder to try and arrest the left turning roll out. As the plane slowed to approximately 10KTS it tipped to the right, striking the right wing tip and horizontal stabilizer.

As the FAA filed it

THE PILOT REPORTED IN AN EMAIL STATEMENT THAT THE PLANE LANDED 16.8 NM NORTH EAST OF BLACK ROCK CITY ON A SMALL PLAYA ON A SOUTH WEST HEADING. AFTER APPROXIMATELY 15 MINUTES ON THE GROUND THE PLANE WAS TAXIED TO THE SOUTH EAST CORNER OF THE LAKE BED FOR TAKE OFF. AT THE TIME OF DEPARTURE THE WIND WAS APPROXIMATELY 5-10 KTS OUT OF THE WEST. FULL BRAKES WERE APPLIED AND THE ENGINE BROUGHT TO FULL POWER BEFORE RELEASING THE BRAKES FOR TAKE OFF. APPROXIMATELY 5-10 SECONDS INTO THE TAKE OFF ROLL THE AIRPLANE STARTED TO WEATHERVANE/PULL TO THE LEFT. I WAS UNABLE TO COUNTERACT THE LEFT TURN WITH THE RUDDER SO THE TAKE OFF WAS ABORTED BY CUTTING THE POWER. THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED GRADUALLY WITH RIGHT RUDDER TO TRY AND ARREST THE LEFT TURNING ROLL OUT. AS THE PLANE SLOWED TO APPROXIMATELY 10KTS IT TIPPED TO THE RIGHT, STRIKING THE RIGHT WING TIP AND HORIZONTAL STABILIZER.

NTSB investigation

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

NTSB WPR12CA381Accident · No injuriesData collectionFinal reportGerlach, NVThe pilot's failure to maintain directional control during the takeoff roll.Aug 31, 2012 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N3946Q · 1

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

Incident 19990527034459IRoll-Out (Fixed Wing) · Truckee, CA(-23) No narrativeMay 27, 1999 · Minor damage