- Date
- June 14, 2009, 21:00 local (Jun 15, 2009, 05:00 UTC)
- Place
- King Salmon, AK
- Injuries
- 4 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N2162ZCessna 180F
- Defining event
- Landing-landing roll: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 30, 2009
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Alaska Regional Office
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration (Operations)
- FAA report
- 20090614047259A
- Case key
- 74067
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 failure to maintain directional control while landing, resulting in a ground loop and substantial damage to the airplane.
Findings · 3
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The pilot reported he was landing his tailwheel-equipped airplane on a hard-surfaced runway, with a 10 knot left crosswind, at the conclusion of a Title 14, Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 flight. He said that when the airplane initially touched down, it bounced slightly, and as it touched down again, it began to swerve to the left. He said he was unable to correct the swerve with rudder and brakes, and the airplane ground looped to the left, striking the right wing and right horizontal stabilizer on the runway. The right wing, right aileron, and right horizontal stabilizer sustained substantial damage. The pilot indicated that there were no preaccident mechanical problems with the airplane.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported he was landing his tailwheel-equipped airplane on a hard-surfaced runway, with a 10-knot left crosswind. He said that when the airplane initially touched down, it bounced slightly, and as it touched down again, it began to swerve to the left. He said he was unable to correct the swerve with rudder and brakes, and the airplane ground looped to the left, striking the right wing and right horizontal stabilizer on the runway. The right wing, right aileron, and right horizontal stabilizer sustained substantial damage. The pilot indicated that there were no preaccident mechanical problems with the airplane.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N2162Z
- Reported as
- Cessna 180F
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 18051262
- Airframe hours
- 4,500
- Engine
- Cont Motor O-470 SERIES, 230 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Baker Benjamin K
- Registered owner
- Baker Benjamin K
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · May 28, 2009 · 10 hours before
- Departed
- ANC · Anchorage, AK
- Destination
- AKN · King Salmon, AK
- Flight plan
- VFR
- Airport
- AKN · King Salmon, runway 30, 8,901 × 150 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
- 48
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine sea, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Without waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 5,500 total · 330 in this make and model · 3,800 as pilot in command · 15 in the last 90 days · 15 in the last 30 days · 5 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 240° at 10 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 64 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.94 inHg
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on August 6, 2009, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 647 KB in all.
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 N2162Z · 4
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.