# NTSB ANC14LA039: Cessna 180H, N91399, Wasilla, AK, June 7, 2014 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: June 7, 2014, 13:15 local (21:15 UTC) - Place: Wasilla, AK - Coordinates: 61.572776, -149.535552 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=61.5728&lon=-149.5356&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Landing-flare/touchdown: Loss of control on ground](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report October 27, 2014 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Alaska Regional Office - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration - NTSB case key (mKey): 89407 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ANC14LA039 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/89407/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=89407 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC14LA039 ## Probable cause The pilot’s failure to maintain directional control during landing and an attempted go-around, which resulted in collision with terrain. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 180H, 32 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=2072618), [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md) - [Performance/control parameters: directional control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 180H, 29 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020/cases.md?model=2072618), [All aircraft, 3,958 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020/cases.md) - [Object/animal/substance](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022000): Environmental issues › Physical environment · Contributed to outcome; cases with it: [Cessna 180H, 4 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022000/cases.md?model=2072618), [All aircraft, 224 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022000/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Landing-flare/touchdown: Loss of control on ground](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230) (defining event); cases with it: [Cessna 180H, 31 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230/sequence.md?model=2072618), [All aircraft, 4,585 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230/sequence.md) - [Landing-aborted after touchdown: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Cessna 180H, 16 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=2072618), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot stated that the airplane had recently undergone maintenance to realign the main landing gear. During the third landing, the airplane turned sharply to the left upon touchdown. The pilot attempted a go-around, but the airplane continued to veer off the runway surface, exited the runway safety area, and impacted the upslope of a drainage ditch. The left main landing gear separated from the fuselage and the airplane sustained substantial damage to the gearbox, left wing, ailerons, left horizontal stabilizer, and left elevator. A postaccident examination revealed that the main landing gear shim bolts were in place, but the main landing gear attachment bolt had broken. The attachment bolt's fracture surfaces and surrounding area revealed fracture features and deformation patterns consistent with a ductile overstress fracture, which likely occurred during the accident sequence. Examination of the airframe and engine revealed no evidence of mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. ## Factual narrative On June 7, 2014, about 1315 Alaska daylight time, a tailwheel-equipped Cessna 180H airplane, N91399, sustained substantial damage while landing at the Wasilla Airport, Wasilla, Alaska. The airplane was being operated by the pilot as a visual flight rules (VFR) flight under the provisions of Title 14, CFR Part 91, when the accident occurred. The certificated private pilot was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed. During a telephone conversation with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigator-in-charge (IIC) on June 7, the pilot stated that the airplane's main landing gear wheels were not tracking true on his last flight, and exhibited a left turning tendency on the ground. The airplane had recently undergone maintenance, and the main landing gear had been realigned before the accident flight. The pilot reported that on his third landing, upon touchdown, the airplane turned sharply to the left. He attempted a go-around, but the airplane continued to veer to the left, off the runway surface, exited the runway safety area, and impacted the upslope of a drainage ditch. The left main landing gear separated from the fuselage, and the airplane sustained substantial damage to the gear box, left wing, ailerons, left horizontal stabilizer and left elevator. A postaccident examination of the airplane by the NTSB IIC and another NTSB investigator revealed that the main landing gear shim bolts were in place, but the main landing gear attachment bolt had broken. The bolts fractured surfaces and surrounding area revealed fracture features and deformation patterns consistent with a ductile overstress fracture. The examination of the airframe and engine revealed no evidence of mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. The closest weather reporting facility is Wasilla Airport. At 1316, an aviation routine weather report (METAR) at Wasilla, Alaska, reported: wind, calm; visibility, 10 statute miles; few clouds at 7,500 feet; overcast clouds at 8,500 feet; temperature, 59 degrees F; dew point 37 degrees F; altimeter, 29.69 inHG. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N91399](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N91399), registered now, S/N 18052069, built 1969 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: CESSNA 180H - Registry model: [Cessna 180H](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-180h) (registry code 2072618) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental O-470 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-o-470-series) (registry code 17026, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 18052069 - Year built: 1969 - Airframe hours: 7119 - Engines: CONT MOTOR O-520 SERIES 275 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, July 12, 2013 - Departed: PAMR, Anchorage, AK - Destination: PAWS, Wasilla, AK - Airport: PAWS, Wasilla, runway 21, 3,700 × 75 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 62; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine sea, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 3, with waivers/limitations; last flight review April 13, 2013; seat: left; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 1,158 total, 31.7 in this make and model, 1,046.1 as pilot in command, 15 in the last 90 days, 4.5 in the last 30 days, 1.7 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: calm - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 8,500 ft overcast - Temperature: 59 °F, dew point 37 °F - Altimeter: 29.69 inHg - Observed at: PAWS ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20140607009519A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20140607009519A), Jun 7, 2014: Cessna 180H, Wasilla, AK, Substantial damage. The airman was pilot in command (PIC) and the sole occupant of the aircraft during the accident. The airman stated that he had flown this aircraft a couple of… ## Other investigations on N91399 (3) 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 ANC06CA010](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC06CA010), Nov 20, 2005: Cessna 180H (N91399), Anchorage, AK, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during the takeoff roll, which resulted in the airplane encountering a snow berm, and nosing over. A factor associated with the accident was the… - [NTSB ANC79DA059](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC79DA059), Jun 9, 1979: Cessna 180 (N91399), Saint Marys, AK, substantial damage - [NTSB ANC71AA054](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC71AA054), Apr 3, 1971: Cessna 180H (N91399), Aniak, AK, substantial damage ## Docket (1 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on August 6, 2014, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=89407. 1.5 MB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 1.5 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40414662&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Master.PDF 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. --- 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.