- Date
- May 14, 2016, 13:45 local (21:45 UTC)
- Place
- Wasilla, AK
- Injuries
- 3 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N2423FCessna 180
- Defining event
- Landing-landing roll: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report August 31, 2016
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Alaska Regional Office
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20160514005789A
- Case key
- 93188
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 during landing, which resulted in a collision with terrain. Contributing to the accident was the loose dirt and gravel deposited in the center of the runway.
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 stated that he was landing his tailwheel-equipped airplane on a gravel surfaced runway that had recently been graded on both sides, with excess dirt and gravel being deposited in the center of the runway. Upon touchdown the airplane veered sharply to the left, and the right wing impacted the runway's surface. The airplane continued to the left, exited the runway, and the right main tire gripped the paved surface of the adjacent runway causing the airplane to snap back to the right. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing and right aileron. The pilot stated that there were no preaccident mechanical anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The pilot stated that he was landing his tailwheel-equipped airplane on a gravel surfaced runway that had recently been graded on both sides, with excess dirt and gravel being deposited in the center of the runway. Upon touchdown the airplane veered sharply to the left, and the right wing impacted the runway's surface. The airplane continued to the left, exited the runway, and the right main tire gripped the paved surface of the adjacent runway causing the airplane to snap back to the right. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing and right aileron. The pilot stated that there were no preaccident mechanical anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N2423F
- Reported as
- Cessna 180 (H)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 18051623
- Built
- 1965
- Airframe hours
- 11,108
- Engine
- Cont Motor O-470 SERIES, 230 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · May 28, 2015
- Departed
- Talkeetna, AK
- Destination
- PAWS · Wasilla, AK
- Airport
- PAWS · Wasilla City Airport, runway 22S, 1,690 × 60 ft, gravel
- Equipment
- Handheld GPS, Stall warning system
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
- 55
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine sea, Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- August 1, 2015
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 4-point
- Flight hours
- 251 total · 39 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 70 °F, dew point 45 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.95 inHg
- Observed at
- PAWS
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on August 15, 2016, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1.9 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 N2423F · 2
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.