- Date
- August 14, 2012, 11:00 local (16:00 UTC)
- Place
- Wausau, WI
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N52187Cessna 180J
- Defining event
- Landing-landing roll: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report July 23, 2013
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Parties
- FSDO Milwaukee
- FAA report
- 20120814016989A
- Case key
- 84857
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 loss of control during landing roll out, resulting in a runway excursion. Contributing to the accident was an unexpected crosswind wind gust.
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
After an uneventful 30-minute flight, the pilot set up the tail wheel equipped airplane for a full stop traffic pattern approach and landing. The pilot stated that he touched down normally on the dry asphalt runway heading 050 degrees. Nearing the end of roll out, a "huge" unexpected gust of wind (about 20-25 knots out of the west) lifted the left wing off the ground and pushed the tail to the right, causing the nose of airplane to face to the left. The pilot attempted to correct, but did not have enough rudder authority. The airplane then skidded to the left and went slightly off the left side of the runway. The right wing dug into dirt, resulting in structural damage to the outboard section of right wing. The pilot stated that he had checked the ATIS information just prior to landing, and the reported wind was 050 degrees at 10 knots with no gusts. Also, he stated that wind "T" indicated that the wind was from about 050 degrees. The pilot noted that he was very surprised when he encountered the crosswind gust on roll out. Shortly after the accident, the pilot demonstrated proficiency in crosswind landings during an FAA check flight.
Factual narrative
After an uneventful 30-minute flight, the pilot set up the tail wheel equipped airplane for a full stop traffic pattern approach and landing. The pilot stated that he touched down normally on the dry asphalt runway heading 050 degrees. Nearing the end of roll out, a "huge" unexpected gust of wind (about 20-25 knots out of the west) lifted the left wing off the ground and pushed the tail to the right, causing the nose of airplane to face to the left. The pilot attempted to correct, but did not have enough rudder authority. The airplane then skidded to the left and went slightly off the left side of the runway. The right wing dug into dirt, resulting in structural damage to the outboard section of the right wing. The pilot stated that he had checked the ATIS information just prior to landing, and the reported wind was 050 degrees at 10 knots with no gusts. Also, he stated that wind "T" indicated that the wind was from about 050 degrees. The pilot noted that he was very surprised when he encountered the crosswind gust on roll out. Shortly after the accident, the pilot demonstrated proficiency in crosswind landings during an FAA check flight.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N52187
- Reported as
- Cessna 180J
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 18052545
- Airframe hours
- 2,281
- Engine
- Cont Motor O-470 SERIES, 230 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Monk Robert William
- Registered owner
- Monk Robert William
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · July 14, 2012 · 10 hours before
- Departed
- WI36 · Lake Tomahawk, WI
- Destination
- AUW · Wausau, WI
- Airport
- AUW · Wausau Downtown Airport, runway 04, 3,041 × 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
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 69
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- August 6, 2012
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 365 total · 100 in this make and model · 30 in the last 90 days · 10 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 50° at 10 knots, gusting 20
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 73 °F, dew point 48 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.95 inHg
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on June 26, 2013, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 3.6 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.