- Date
- July 3, 2016, 20:30 local (Jul 4, 2016, 04:30 UTC)
- Place
- Nome, AK
- Injuries
- 4 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N9203TCessna 180
- Defining event
- Landing: Landing area undershoot
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 12, 2016
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Alaska Regional Office
- Parties
- FAA ASI AL-01
- FAA report
- 20160703010389A
- Case key
- 93590
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 an adequate glide path during landing, which resulted in the airplane landing short of the runway and impacting a barricade. Contributing to the accident was the airport manager's improper placement and marking of a metal barricade that encroached on the runway safety area.
Findings · 5
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 while landing on a gravel surfaced runway in a tailwheel-equipped airplane, a downdraft was encountered, which forced the airplane to the ground prematurely. The airplane subsequently impacted an estimated 38-inch-high metal barricade that was located about 90 feet from the runway threshold resulting in substantial damage to the right wing lift strut The pilot stated that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or anomalies with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The airport manager stated that the metal barricade sections were erected each summer season to prevent All-Terrain Vehicles from using the runway, thus mitigating runway incursions.
Factual narrative
The pilot stated that while landing on a gravel surfaced runway in a tailwheel-equipped airplane, a downdraft was encountered, which forced the airplane to the ground prematurely. The airplane subsequently impacted an estimated 38-inch-high metal barricade that was located about 90 feet from the runway threshold resulting in substantial damage to the right wing lift strut The pilot stated that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or anomalies with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The airport manager stated that the metal barricade sections were erected each summer season to prevent All-Terrain Vehicles from using the runway, thus mitigating runway incursions.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N9203T
- Reported as
- Cessna 180 (C)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 50703
- Built
- 1960
- Airframe hours
- 5,119
- Engine
- Lycoming O&VO-360 SER, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · June 23, 2015
- Departed
- 5QC · Quartz Creek, AK
- Destination
- 94Z · Nome, AK
- Flight plan
- VFR
- Airport
- 94Z · Nome City Field, runway 21, 1,950 × 110 ft, gravel
- Equipment
- 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
- 65
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine sea, Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 537 total · 266 in this make and model · 484 as pilot in command · 11 in the last 90 days · 11 in the last 30 days · 3 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 260° at 20 knots, gusting 29
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 28,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 52 °F, dew point 45 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.80 inHg
- Observed at
- PAOM, 1 nm away
Docket · 4
The files NTSB released with the investigation on August 30, 2016, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1.7 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 N9203T · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.