What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Facts: on March 30, 2026, the pilot of Cessna C-195, privacy data omitted, departed gillespie field (ksee) for Big Bear City Airport (L35). Based on verbal account of the pilot, as well as ADS-B position data from ato, the pilot unsuccessfully attempted a wheel landing with a variable direction tailwind in gusty conditions, resulting in a loss of control, ground loop, and subsequent runway excursion. The aircraft continued off of the runway striking two airport signs. The aircraft sustained substantial damage to the main landing gear, and wing structure including permanent deformation of the aileron and flap; the pilot reported no injuries.
As the FAA filed it
FACTS: ON MARCH 30, 2026, THE PILOT OF CESSNA C-195, ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^, DEPARTED GILLESPIE FIELD (KSEE) FOR BIG BEAR CITY AIRPORT (L35). BASED ON VERBAL ACCOUNT OF THE PILOT, AS WELL AS ADS-B POSITION DATA FROM ATO, THE PILOT UNSUCCESSFULLY ATTEMPTED A WHEEL LANDING WITH A VARIABLE DIRECTION TAILWIND IN GUSTY CONDITIONS, RESULTING IN A LOSS OF CONTROL, GROUND LOOP, AND SUBSEQUENT RUNWAY EXCURSION. THE AIRCRAFT CONTINUED OFF OF THE RUNWAY STRIKING TWO AIRPORT SIGNS. THE AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE MAIN LANDING GEAR, AND WING STRUCTURE INCLUDING PERMANENT DEFORMATION OF THE AILERON AND FLAP; THE PILOT REPORTED 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.