- Date
- May 8, 2012, 10:00 local (15:00 UTC)
- Place
- Sterling, IL
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N3557QCessna A188
- Defining event
- Landing: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report July 18, 2012
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20120508008799A
- Case key
- 83579
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. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's runway selection based on the wind conditions.
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
While landing on runway 7, the pilot lost directional control after the tailwheel touched down. The pilot continued the landing and attempted to stop the airplane. The airplane then ground-looped and departed the runway surface. During the ground loop, the right main landing gear separated and the right wing bent upward. The reported wind at the airport at the time of the accident was from 300 degrees at 13 knots. The pilot reported no mechanical problems with the airplane prior to the accident. The airplane’s owner stated that the pilot landed on the wrong runway based on the wind conditions.
Factual narrative
While landing on runway 7, the pilot lost directional control after the tail wheel touched down. The pilot continued the landing and attempted to stop the airplane. The airplane then ground looped and departed the runway surface. During the ground loop, the right main landing gear separated and the right wing bent upward. The airport reported the wind at the time of the accident from 300 degrees at 13 knots. The pilot reported no mechanical problems with the airplane prior to the accident. The airplane owner stated his pilot landed on the wrong runway based on the wind conditions.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N3557Q
- Reported as
- Cessna A188
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 188-0507
- Engine
- Cont Motor IO 520 SERIES, 285 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Operator
- Woodley Craig S
- Registered owner
- Woodley Craig S
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
- Departed
- Walnut, IL
- Destination
- SQI · Sterling, IL
- Airport
- SQI · Whiteside County Airport, runway 07
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
- 40
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- February 15, 2012
- Seat
- Center
- Flight hours
- 517 total · 210 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 300° at 13 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 64 °F, dew point 46 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.92 inHg
- Observed at
- SQI
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on June 5, 2012, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 52 KB 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 N3557Q · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.