CEN16LA068

NTSB accident investigation · Cessna 182J · Baytown, TX · December 19, 2015

Accident · Serious injuriesLimited investigationFinal report
Date
December 19, 2015, 15:55 local (21:55 UTC)
Place
Baytown, TX
Injuries
1 serious, 1 minor
Damage
Substantial damage
Phase of flight
Landing
Aircraft
N2694FCessna 182J
Defining event
Landing: Loss of control on ground
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Day
Status
Completed · report August 16, 2016
Report
Approved by Office Director
NTSB office
Central Region
Parties
FAA - Houston FSDO
FAA report
20151219019569A
Case key
92496

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 failure to maintain directional control during landing in gusting 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.

Performance/control parameters: directional controlAircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintainedCessna 182J: 3 casesAll aircraft: 3,958 casesProbable cause
Use of equip/info: aircraft controlPersonnel issues › Task performance · PilotCessna 182J: 7 casesAll aircraft: 9,295 casesProbable cause
Wind: gustsEnvironmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Effect on operationCessna 182J: 2 casesAll aircraft: 1,199 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 private pilot was conducting a personal cross-country flight. The pilot reported that, while performing a crosswind landing on runway 26, the airplane's left wing rose while the nose and right main wheels remained on the runway. The pilot corrected to get all three wheels on the runway, and after doing so, the airplane was no longer aligned with the runway. The airplane subsequently exited the side of the runway, the nose landing gear dug into the muddy grass, and the airplane nosed over. A postaccident examination of the airplane revealed no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures. The reported weather at an airport 19 miles away from the accident site indicated that the wind was from 90 degrees at 9 knots; however, the pilot reported that the wind was from 160 degrees at 10 knots, gusting to 15 knots. Based on the available information, it is likely that the pilot failed to maintain directional control during landing in gusting wind conditions, which resulted in the runway excursion and subsequent nose-over.

Factual narrative

On December 19, 2015, about 1555 central standard time, a Cessna 182J, N2694F, sustained substantial damage during a runway excursion while landing on runway 26 at the RWJ Airpark (54T), near Baytown, Texas. The pilot received minor injuries and the passenger received serious injuries in the accident. The aircraft was registered to and operated by the pilot under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the flight, which was not on a flight plan. The flight originated from the Del Rio International Airport, Del Rio, Texas, about 1225.The pilot reported that while performing a crosswind landing on runway 26 at 54T, the left wing of the airplane came up with the nose and right main wheels remaining on the runway. The pilot corrected to get all three wheels on the runway, and after doing so, the airplane was no longer aligned with the runway. The airplane exited the side of the runway into the grass. The nose landing gear dug into the muddy grass, and the airplane nosed over. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures of the airplane prior to the accident. At 1550, the reported weather conditions at the Ellington Airport (EFD), Houston, Texas, about 19 miles southwest of 54T, at 1550 included winds from 90 degrees at 9 knots. The pilot reported winds from 160 degrees at 10 knots gusting to 15 knots.

Aircraft

Registration
N2694F
Reported as
Cessna 182J
Category
Airplane
Serial number
18256794
Built
1965
Airframe hours
6,410
Engine
Cont Motor O-470 SERIES, reciprocating
Damage
Substantial damage
Flight
Personal · Part 91
Airworthiness certificate
Standard, Normal
Last inspection
Annual · July 10, 2015 · 24 hours before
Departed
DRT · Del Rio, TX
Destination
54T · Baytown, TX
Airport
54T · Rwj Airpark, runway 26, 5,035 × 40 ft, asphalt
Equipment
Auto-pilot, Satellite tracking device, 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
63
Injuries
Minor
Certificate
Private
Airplane ratings
Single-engine land
Medical
Class 3, With waivers/limitations
Last flight review
July 28, 2015
Seat
Left
Restraint
Lap only
Flight hours
390 total · 104 in this make and model · 390 as pilot in command · 18 in the last 90 days · 12 in the last 30 days

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC) · Day
Wind
90° at 9 knots
Visibility
10 statute miles
Lowest ceiling
None
Temperature
59 °F, dew point 46 °F
Altimeter
30.40 inHg
Observed at
EFD, 19 nm away

Docket · 1

The files NTSB released with the investigation on March 8, 2016, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 4.3 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.