# Accident 20161007016559A: Cessna A185F, San Antonio, TX, October 7, 2016

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: October 7, 2016, 13:40 local time
- Place: San Antonio, TX
- Airport: San Antonio International Airp
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Landing: Rollout
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 29.5378° N, 98.4742° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=29.5378&lon=-98.4742&mi=10
- Aircraft: N4924E, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N4924E) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Cessna A185F (registry code 2072821, https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-a185f) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Continental IO-520-D (registry code 17236, https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-io-520-d) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA A185F
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Airline transport
- Pilot flight hours: 4,500 total, 4,000 in this make and model, 35 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB GAA17CA013](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA17CA013) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20161007016559A

## Narrative

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

^STEPHEN RATCLIFF^ FLEW HIS CESSNA A-185-F FROM CONROE TO SAN ANTONIO. ON HIS WAY TO THE AIRPORT, A FRONTAL PASSAGE WAS REPORTED BY SAN ANTONIO INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT'S (KSAT) WEATHER SERVICE AT APPROXIMATELY 1828Z/1328 LOCAL. WINDS SHIFTED FROM A HEADING OF 080 TO 360.

THE FOLLOWING SEQUENCE OF EVENTS THAT LED TO THE ACCIDENT OCCURED AS FOLLOWS:

-THE AIRMAN REPORTED 3 MILES EAST OF KSAT, AND WANTED TO KNOW WHICH RUNWAY (12L OR 12R) HE WAS GOING TO BE CLEARED FOR. THE CONTROLLER ACKNOWLEDGED THE AIRMAN'S PRESENCE AND TOLD THE AIRMAN THE WINDS WERE FROM 010 AT 18 KNOTS FOR RUNWAY 12L AND PROCEEDED TO CLEAR THE AIRMAN TO LAND.

-APPROXIMATELY A MINUTE LATER, ATC INSTRUCTED AN AIRCRAFT ON THE GROUND FREQUENCY TO STAY PUT UNTIL ATC DECIDED WHAT TO DO SINCE THE WINDS WERE NOW FROM 360 AT 16 KNOTS, WITH THE CONTROLLER MAKING THE REMARK THAT THE WINDS PRESENTED A PRETTY STRONG TAILWIND.

-APPROXIMATELY 20 SECONDS LATER, THE TOWER CONTROLLER CLEARED THE AIRMAN TO ENTER THE LEFT DOWNWIND FOR RUNWAY 12L, CAUTIONED HIM FOR WAKE TURBULENCE AND AGAIN CLEARED THE AIRMAN TO LAND RUNWAY 12L.

-APPROXIMATELY 45 SECONDS LATER, A WIND CHECK WAS GIVEN BY ATC WITH THE WINDS COMING FROM 360 AT 15 KNOTS.

USING THE LAST KNOWN WIND FIGURES, A LEFT CROSSWIND OF 13 KNOTS AND A TAILWIND OF 8 KNOTS WAS EXPERIENCED BY THE AIRMAN UPON LANDING. AS THE AIRMAN LOWERED THE AIRCRAFT'S TAIL FROM A TWO-WHEEL LANDING, THE AIRCRAFT YAWED AGGRESSIVELY TO THE LEFT AND SKIDDED INTO THE GRASS OFF RUNWAY 12L, SHEARING THE RIGHT MAIN GEAR OFF IN THE PROCESS.

THE AFTERMATH OF THE LANDING RESULTED IN THE SHEARING OF THE RIGHT MAIN GEAR AND THE BENDING OF THE RIGHT WING AT APPROXIMATELY THE HALFWAY POINT TO THE WING ROOT. NO INJURIES WERE REPORTED BY EITHER THE AIRMAN OR THE PASSENGER.

## 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 GAA17CA013](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA17CA013), Oct 7, 2016: Cessna A185 (N4924E), San Antonio, TX, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's failure to recognize the tailwind condition and maintain directional control during the landing roll, which resulted in a runway excursion.

## Other reports on N4924E (1)

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

- [Accident 19831006053199A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19831006053199A), Oct 6, 1983: Cessna A185F (N4924E), Togiak, AK, Substantial damage. Aircraft was blown over by strong wind during taxi for takeoff.

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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