- Date
- September 27, 2011, 10:30 local (18:30 UTC)
- Place
- Chenga Bay, AK
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N9083MCessna 180H
- Defining event
- Landing-landing roll: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report January 18, 2012
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Alaska Regional Office
- FAA report
- 20110927029319A
- Case key
- 81914
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 clearance from an obstruction while landing at an off-airport site, resulting in a loss of control.
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 that he was landing his tailwheel-equipped airplane at an off-airport site. During the landing, the right wing contacted brush adjacent to the landing area, and the airplane ground-looped. The airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings, the left horizontal stabilizer, and the fuselage. The pilot indicated there were no preaccident mechanical anomalies with the airplane. He stated that the accident could have been prevented had he landed farther down the landing area to avoid any brush.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that he was landing his tailwheel-equipped airplane at an off-airport landing site. During the landing, the right wing contacted brush adjacent to the landing area, and the airplane ground looped. The airplane received substantial damage to both wings, the left horizontal stabilizer, and the fuselage. The pilot indicated there were no preaccident mechanical anomalies with the airplane. He stated that the accident could have been prevented had he landed farther down the landing area to avoid any brush.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N9083M
- Reported as
- Cessna 180H
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 18052183
- Airframe hours
- 4,816
- Engine
- Cont Motor O-470 SERIES, 230 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · May 7, 2011
- Departed
- 4AK6 · Palmer, AK
- Destination
- Montague Island, AK
- Flight plan
- VFR
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
- 54
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- August 23, 2011
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 1,149 total · 47 in this make and model · 47 in the last 90 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 20 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 39 °F
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on December 1, 2011, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1.3 MB 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 N9083M · 2
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.