- Date
- June 19, 2002, 09:00 local (13:00 UTC)
- Place
- Jacksonville, FL
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N9150CCessna 180
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report April 15, 2003
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- Orlando FSDO-15
- Case key
- 54982
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 on landing rollout resulting in an inadvertent ground loop. A factor related to the accident was the certified flight instructors inadequate supervision of the training flight.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The pilot was conducting a wheel landing to a full stop with a certified flight instructor (CFI) in the right front seat evaluating his performance. Upon touchdown, as the tail wheel started to come down, the airplane veered to the left. The CFI got on the controls with the rated pilot. Both pilots applied right rudder. The CFI stated that it felt like the right brake had locked. The airplane continued to the left. The left wheel went off the runway and the airplane nosed over. Examination of the left and right brake assembly revealed no anomalies.
Factual narrative
On June 19, 2002, about 0900 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 180, N9150C, registered to a private owner operating as a 14 CFR Part 91 instructional flight, experienced a loss of directional control on landing roll out at Harlong Airport in Jacksonville, Florida. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed. The airplane sustained substantial damage. The private pilot receiving instruction and the commercial pilot certified flight instructor (CFI) reported no injuries. The flight originated from Herlong Airport, Jacksonville, Florida, at 0800.
The CFI and pilot stated he had made two full stop landings, and one touch and go landing before the accident. He completed his before landing check on downwind and listened to the AWOS weather information. The winds were reported as calm. The pilot made a wheel landing and as the tail wheel began to lower, the airplane started to veer to the left. The CFI got on the flight controls with the pilot and they both applied right rudder. The airplane continued to veer to the left, and the left main landing gear went off the side of the runway and the airplane nosed over. The CFI stated the pilot encountered a gust of wind and lost directional control of the airplane.
The 0915 AWOS surface weather observation at the time of the accident at Herlong Airport was: wind calm, visibility 10 miles, ceiling 1,400 overcast, temperature 75-degrees Fahrenheit, dew point temperature 75-degrees Fahrenheit, and altimeter 30.17.
Examination of the airplane by an airframe and power plant mechanic for De Bar Aviation located at Herlong Airport revealed sudden stoppage damage to the engine assembly and accessories. The right main landing gear box structure and cabin floor was buckled. A functional check of the left and right brake assembly revealed no anomalies.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N9150C
- Reported as
- Cessna 180
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 31204
- Airframe hours
- 3,721
- Engine
- Continental O-470A, 225 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Operator
- Jimmy R. Westbrook
- Registered owner
- Johnny W. Bruce
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · August 1, 2001 · 4 hours before
- Departed
- HEG · Jacksonville, FL
- Airport
- HEG · Herlong Airport, runway 07, 4,000 × 100 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 · 2
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 26
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Last flight review
- November 21, 2001
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 252 total · 1 in this make and model · 174 as pilot in command · 1 in the last 90 days · 1 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
- Role
- Flight instructor
- Injuries
- None
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 1,400 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 75 °F, dew point 75 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.17 inHg
- Observed at
- HEG
Docket · 4
The files NTSB released with the investigation on January 17, 2003, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 512 KB in all.
Other investigations on N9150C · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.