20210320001069A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Cessna A185F · Fairbanks, AK · March 20, 2021

Date: March 20, 2021 · 15:29 local
Place: Fairbanks, AK
Airport: Fairbanks International
Phase of flight: Landing: Rollout
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N58316
NTSB investigation: NTSBANC21LA026
Reported as: Cessna A185F
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificate: Commercial pilot
Pilot’s flight hours: 1,500 total120 in this make and model30 in the last 90 days

N58316Registered now · Cessna A185FS/N 18503284 · Built 1977 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.

Pilot stated he made a normal approach to runway 02R at the Fairbanks International Airport. The pilot stated he made a normal wheel landing and shortly after touchdown the aircraft veered to the right causing the left wing to strike the runway. The aircraft did a 180 degree turn and came to rest on a small snow berm. The pilot was able to power out of the snow berm and taxi to his parking spot without further incident. Pilot stated there was a light right crosswind so he had his right wing slightly low to compensate. As he leveled his wings for touchdown, the right wing slowly rose up causing the ground loop to start. The pilot stated he didn't want to apply left rudder because he was uncertain if it would make the situation worse.

As the FAA filed it

PILOT STATED HE MADE A NORMAL APPROACH TO RUNWAY 02R AT THE FAIRBANKS INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT. THE PILOT STATED HE MADE A NORMAL WHEEL LANDING AND SHORTLY AFTER TOUCHDOWN THE AIRCRAFT VEERED TO THE RIGHT CAUSING THE LEFT WING TO STRIKE THE RUNWAY. THE AIRCRAFT DID A 180 DEGREE TURN AND CAME TO REST ON A SMALL SNOW BERM. THE PILOT WAS ABLE TO POWER OUT OF THE SNOW BERM AND TAXI TO HIS PARKING SPOT WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. PILOT STATED THERE WAS A LIGHT RIGHT CROSSWIND SO HE HAD HIS RIGHT WING SLIGHTLY LOW TO COMPENSATE. AS HE LEVELED HIS WINGS FOR TOUCHDOWN, THE RIGHT WING SLOWLY ROSE UP CAUSING THE GROUND LOOP TO START. THE PILOT STATED HE DIDN'T WANT TO APPLY LEFT RUDDER BECAUSE HE WAS UNCERTAIN IF IT WOULD MAKE THE SITUATION WORSE.

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 ANC21LA026Accident · Minor injuriesClass 4 · LimitedFinal reportFairbanks, AKThe pilot's failure to maintain directional control during the landing roll, which resulted in a ground loop.Mar 20, 2021 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N58316 · 1

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

Accident 20050911020339ALevel Off Touchdown · Prospect Creek, AK(-23) On a landing at Prospect Creek Alaska, the pilot [privacy data omitted] a commercial pilot of N58316, a CE-185 lost directional control of the aircraft in a crosswind, causing substantial damage to that aircraft. [privacy data omitted]Sep 11, 2005 · Substantial damage