20200810013559A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Cessna 180J · Stanley, ID · August 10, 2020

Date: August 10, 2020 · 18:03 local
Place: Stanley, ID
Airport: Stanley Airport
Phase of flight: Takeoff: Rotation
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N9917N
NTSB investigation: NTSBWPR20CA265
Reported as: Cessna 180J
Reported engine: Continental O-470 series
People aboard: 2
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificates: Commercial pilot, flight instructor
Pilot’s flight hours: 3,300 total350 in this make and model70 in the last 90 days

N9917NRegistered now · Cessna 180JS/N 18052572 · Built 1975 Airframe modelCessna 180J Engine modelContinental O-470 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.

Pilot was at the Stanley Idaho airport for a day of fishing. He and his wife got back to the airport around 1600 to fly out, but there was a strong crosswind. The pilot elected to wait for the wind to calm down before he would leave. They waited a couple of hours and the wind dropped down to a 10 knot crosswind. The pilot decided to take off. He said he was still anticipating a strong crosswind and was ready on the controls. When the tail came off the ground he over controlled in anticipation of the crosswind and ground looped the airplane.

As the FAA filed it

PILOT WAS AT THE STANLEY IDAHO AIRPORT FOR A DAY OF FISHING. HE AND HIS WIFE GOT BACK TO THE AIRPORT AROUND 1600 TO FLY OUT, BUT THERE WAS A STRONG CROSSWIND. THE PILOT ELECTED TO WAIT FOR THE WIND TO CALM DOWN BEFORE HE WOULD LEAVE. THEY WAITED A COUPLE OF HOURS AND THE WIND DROPPED DOWN TO A 10 KNOT CROSSWIND. THE PILOT DECIDED TO TAKE OFF. HE SAID HE WAS STILL ANTICIPATING A STRONG CROSSWIND AND WAS READY ON THE CONTROLS. WHEN THE TAIL CAME OFF THE GROUND HE OVER CONTROLLED IN ANTICIPATION OF THE CROSSWIND AND GROUND LOOPED THE AIRPLANE.

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 WPR20CA265Accident · No injuriesClass 4 · Data collectionFinal reportStanley, IDThe pilot's failure to maintain directional control during takeoff in crosswind conditions, which resulted in a ground loop.Aug 11, 2020 · Substantial damage