# Accident 20230516007209A: Cessna A185F, Grand Junction, CO, May 16, 2023 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: May 16, 2023, 15:05 local time - Place: Grand Junction, CO - Damage: Substantial damage - Phase of flight: Landing: Touchdown - Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91) - Location: 39.1274° N, 108.5308° W: From the FAA - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.1274&lon=-108.5308&mi=10 - Aircraft: N4742E, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N4742E) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry model: Cessna A185F (registry code 2072821, https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-a185f) (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: CESSNA A185F - People aboard: 1 - Fatal injuries: 0 - Other injuries: 0 - Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot - Pilot flight hours: 9,040 total, 800 in this make and model, 105 in the last 90 days - NTSB investigation: [NTSB CEN23LA189](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN23LA189) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20230516007209A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. THE PILOT STATED THE PLANE WAS BEING TRANSPORTED FROM KSDL TO KIMT IN MICHIGAN’S UPPER PENINSULA. THE PILOT WAS EXPERIENCED IN THIS AIRCRAFT, WHICH HE HAD PURCHASED IN 2010 AND FLEW IT ON WHEELS AND FLOATS FOR ABOUT 10 YEARS UNTIL IT WAS BOUGHT BY THE CURRENT OWNER, WHO LET HIM FLY THE PLANE OFTEN FOLLOWING HIS PURCHASE. ON THE DATE OF THE ACCIDENT THE PLANE WAS EQUIPPED WITH VERY LARGE TUNDRA TIRES WHICH THE PILOT HAD NOT FLOWN BEFORE. THE OWNER MENTIONED TO THE PILOT THAT 3 POINT LANDINGS YIELDED GOOD RESULTS WITH THESE TIRES. THE PILOT DEPARTED KSDL VFR APPROXIMATELY 3.5 HOURS BEFORE INCIDENT AND PROCEEDED TO KGJT IN GOOD CONDITIONS. PICKED UP ATIS ~30 MIN PRIOR TO LANDING WHICH INDICATED WINDS DOWN THE RUNWAY. NEW ATIS WAS ISSUED A FEW MINUTES PRIOR TO LANDING ON RUNWAY 29 WHICH REPORTED WINDS FROM 320. THE PILOT STATED THAT THE TOWER COMMENTED TO AN AIRCRAFT LANDING SHORTLY BEFORE THE PILOT THAT DUST DEVILS WERE OBSERVED JUST NORTH OF THE PAVEMENT. ON TOUCHDOWN THE PILOT STATED THERE WAS A WIND GUST FROM THE RIGHT WHICH CAUSED THE PLANE TO BALLOON AS THE PILOT WAS TOUCHING DOWN AND THE PLANE BOUNCED A FOOT OR TWO. THE PILOT STATED HE DID NOT FEEL THE PLANE WAS OUT OF CONTROL AT THAT MOMENT BUT AS HE BANKED THE PLANE INTO THE WIND THE SOFT TIRES GRABBED THE GROOVED PAVEMENT FIRMLY, RESULTING IN A GROUNDLOOP. THE PILOT WAS PHYSICALLY UNINJURED. THE PILOT WAS ABLE TO EGRESS THE PLANE WITHOUT ASSISTANCE AND OBSERVED DAMAGE TO THE LEFT WING TIP AND LATERAL AILERON. THE LEFT TIRE WAS BLOWN AND THE WHEEL WAS FRACTURED. FORTUNATELY THE PROPELLER AND ENGINE WERE NOT DAMAGED. THE AIRPORT MANAGER TOOK PICTURES WHICH WERE SENT TO THE DENVER NTSB, WHO GAVE PERMISSION TO MOVE THE AIRCRAFT. THE PILOT ALSO STATED THAT HE SPOKE WITH NTSB PERSONNEL IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING THE EVENT. ## 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 CEN23LA189](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN23LA189), May 16, 2023: Cessna A185f (N4742E), Grand Junction, CO, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot’s failure to maintain directional control during the landing roll with gusting wind. ## Other reports on N4742E (4) Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date. - [Accident 20120516007499A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20120516007499A), May 16, 2012: Cessna A185F (N4742E), Crystal Falls, MI, Substantial damage. Pilot was landing on the airport at dusk. The airport and surrounding forrest are heavly populated with deer. During touchdown, a pair of deer ran into the… - [Accident 19921212049869A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19921212049869A), Dec 12, 1992: Cessna 185F (N4742E), Lanai City, HI, Substantial damage. Engine quit on climbout. Crash landed off airport. No engine or fuel defects. Equipped with ferry tanks in cabin. - [Accident 19880711026419A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19880711026419A), Jul 11, 1988: Cessna A185F (N4742E), Georgetown, AK, Substantial damage. Weather forced pilot to land float equipped aircraft on river. Wind overturned aircraft and it sank. - [Accident 19791113033519A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19791113033519A), Nov 13, 1979: Cessna 185 (N4742E), Greeley, CO, Substantial damage. Stud bounced acft on wheel lndg. Instructor took over. Acft veered off side of rwy, collapsing main gear. 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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.