What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Paraphrased from pilot's comments letter. I was learning to fly a C-185PRIMARILY to become proficient in landing tail wheel aircraft. I had been undergoing training for 3 weeks in this aircraft with an instructor. I set up to enter on a downwind and planned to make a three point landing with 2 notches of flaps. Upon transition to the landing attitude and during the flare I touched down on the main wheels on centerline and had a small bounce. The ip was on the controls with me and called for a little power to prevent getting slow, helped me level the attitude, held it and then we began to flare. Touching down again smoothly on all three wheels while pulling the power to idle and the yoke back. About this time an unnatural right yaw occurred moving the nose abruptly right. Applied full left pedal but the with no positive result. Departed the runway hit a culvert, came to a stop. No injuries.
As the FAA filed it
PARAPHRASED FROM PILOT'S COMMENTS LETTER. I WAS LEARNING TO FLY A C-185PRIMARILY TO BECOME PROFICIENT IN LANDING TAIL WHEEL AIRCRAFT. I HAD BEEN UNDERGOING TRAINING FOR 3 WEEKS IN THIS AIRCRAFT WITH AN INSTRUCTOR. I SET UP TO ENTER ON A DOWNWIND AND PLANNED TO MAKE A THREE POINT LANDING WITH 2 NOTCHES OF FLAPS. UPON TRANSITION TO THE LANDING ATTITUDE AND DURING THE FLARE I TOUCHED DOWN ON THE MAIN WHEELS ON CENTERLINE AND HAD A SMALL BOUNCE. THE IP WAS ON THE CONTROLS WITH ME AND CALLED FOR A LITTLE POWER TO PREVENT GETTING SLOW, HELPED ME LEVEL THE ATTITUDE, HELD IT AND THEN WE BEGAN TO FLARE. TOUCHING DOWN AGAIN SMOOTHLY ON ALL THREE WHEELS WHILE PULLING THE POWER TO IDLE AND THE YOKE BACK. ABOUT THIS TIME AN UNNATURAL RIGHT YAW OCCURRED MOVING THE NOSE ABRUPTLY RIGHT. APPLIED FULL LEFT PEDAL BUT THE WITH NO POSITIVE RESULT. DEPARTED THE RUNWAY HIT A CULVERT, CAME TO A STOP. NO INJURIES.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.
Other reports on N185DG · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.