- Date
- May 9, 2000, 17:07 local (May 10, 2000, 01:07 UTC)
- Place
- Anchorage, AK
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N2785KCessna 180K
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report May 30, 2001
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Alaska Regional Office
- FAA report
- 20000509042179A
- Case key
- 50959
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The pilot's inadvertent ground loop/swerve during landing.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The solo commercial pilot was landing on runway 24, in a tailwheel and tundra tire equipped airplane on a paved runway. The pilot stated that after landing the airplane's right main wheel 'grabbed,' and the airplane ground looped to the right. During the ground loop, the left wing struck the runway, and the airplane nosed down. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing leading edge, and left wing main spar. The pilot noted that there were no preaccident mechanical anomalies with the airplane.
Factual narrative
On May 9, 2000, about 1707 Alaska daylight time, a tailwheel and tundra tire equipped Cessna 180K airplane, N2785K, sustained substantial damage while landing at Merrill Field, Anchorage, Alaska. The airplane was being operated as a visual flight rules (VFR) personal flight under Title 14, CFR Part 91, when the accident occurred. The solo commercial pilot was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed. The flight originated about 1220, from the Sand Point Airport, Sand Point, Alaska.
During a telephone conversation with the National Transportation Safety Board investigator-in-charge on May 11, the pilot reported that while landing on runway 24, during the landing roll, the right main wheel "grabbed", and the airplane ground looped to the right. During the ground loop, the left wing struck the runway, and the airplane nosed down. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing leading edge, and left wing main spar.
The Merrill Field weather observation at the time of the accident consisted of: Sky conditions and ceiling, 7,000 scattered, 20,000 overcast; visibility, 10 statute miles; wind, 270 degrees (magnetic) at 10 knots; altimeter, 29.99 inHg.
The pilot noted that there were no preaccident mechanical anomalies with the airplane.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N2785K
- Reported as
- Cessna 180K
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 18053067
- Airframe hours
- 1,700
- Engine
- Continental O-470U, 230 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Paul R. Gronholdt
- Registered owner
- Gronholdt Development Co.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · May 1, 1999
- Departed
- SPD · Sand Point, AK
- Airport
- MRI · Merrill Field, runway 24, 4,000 × 100 ft, asphalt
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 53
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Single-engine sea, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 2,500 total · 1,500 in this make and model · 2,200 as pilot in command · 7 in the last 90 days · 7 in the last 30 days · 5 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 270° at 10 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 20,000 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 52 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- MRI
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N2785K · 2
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.