CEN15LA250

NTSB accident investigation · Cessna T188C · Pine Bluffs, WY · May 27, 2015

Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal report
Date
May 27, 2015, 07:00 local (13:00 UTC)
Place
Pine Bluffs, WY
Injuries
1 uninjured
Damage
Substantial damage
Phase of flight
Landing
Aircraft
N1965JCessna T188C
Defining event
Landing-landing roll: Loss of control on ground
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Day
Status
Completed · report September 24, 2015
Report
Approved by Office Director
NTSB office
Central Region
Parties
FAA Flight Standards District Office
FAA report
20150527010229A
Case key
91296

From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.

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Probable cause

The pilot's loss of directional control to the right for reasons that could not be determined during examination of the right main landing gear wheel and brake drum.

Findings · 2

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.

Performance/control parameters: directional controlAircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintainedCessna T188C: 4 casesAll aircraft: 3,958 casesProbable cause
Use of equip/info: aircraft controlPersonnel issues › Task performance · PilotCessna T188C: 8 casesAll aircraft: 9,295 casesProbable cause

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 reported that the wind was light and variable during the landing approach. Upon touchdown and the pilot's application of forward elevator control, the airplane veered sharply right. The pilot made "full aerodynamic controls" inputs and applied the left brake, but the airplane did not stop veering right. The airplane subsequently departed the right side of the runway and struck a small berm, which bent the left main landing gear aft. The airplane slid to a stop, crushing the engine cowling and wrinkling both wings. The only skid marks found on the runway after the accident were made by the left tire. When the airplane was raised by a lift, the right tire assembly spun freely. The right brake drum was found to be deeply grooved, but there was no indication that the right wheel had seized. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed no evidence of mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation.

Factual narrative

On May 27, 2015, about 0700 mountain daylight time, a Cessna T188C, N1965J, departed the right side of the runway 08 after landing at Pine Bluffs Municipal Airport (82V), Pine Bluffs, Wyoming. The pilot, the sole occupant on board, was not injured. The airplane was substantially damaged. The airplane was registered to and operated by Circle S Aviation, LLC, Pine Bluffs, Wyoming, under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 137 as an aerial application flight. Day visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident, and no flight plan had been filed. The local flight originated from 82V about 0540. The pilot said the winds were light and variable as he made his landing approach. Upon touch down and upon application of forward elevator control, the airplane veered sharply to the right. Full aerodynamic control inputs and the application of left brake did not stop the veer. The airplane departed the right side of the runway and struck a small berm. The left main landing gear was bent aft, and the airplane slid to a stop, crushing the engine cowling and wrinkling both wings. The pilot's verbal statement given to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and his written statement contained in this accident report were similar. An FAA inspector examined the airplane and reported that the only skid marks on the runway were from the left tire. When the aircraft was raised by a lift, the right tire assembly spun freely. The right brake drum was found to be deeply grooved, but there was no indication the right wheel had seized. The reason for the runway departure could not be determined.

Aircraft

Registration
N1965J
Reported as
Cessna T188C
Category
Airplane
Serial number
T18803308T
Built
1978
Airframe hours
6,058
Engine
Continental TSIO-520-T, 310 horsepower, reciprocating
Damage
Substantial damage
Flight
Aerial application · Part 137
Operator
Circle S Aviation, LLC
Registered owner
Circle S Aviation, LLC
Airworthiness certificate
Special, Restricted (Special)
Last inspection
Annual · May 7, 2015
Departed
81V · Pine Bluffs, WY
Destination
82V · Pine Bluffs, WY
Airport
82V · Pine Bluffs Municipal, runway 08, 5,331 × 75 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
58
Injuries
None
Certificates
Commercial, Airline transport
Airplane ratings
Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
Instrument ratings
Airplane
Medical
Class 2, With waivers/limitations
Last flight review
June 7, 2014
Seat
Single
Restraint
4-point
Flight hours
2,538 total · 390 in this make and model · 1,260 as pilot in command · 16 in the last 90 days · 16 in the last 30 days

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC) · Day
Wind
290° at 9 knots
Visibility
10 statute miles
Lowest ceiling
None
Temperature
50 °F, dew point 43 °F
Altimeter
30.09 inHg
Observed at
82V

Docket · 7

The files NTSB released with the investigation on September 2, 2015, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 2.6 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.