- Date
- March 7, 2021, 13:20 local (20:20 UTC)
- Place
- Pueblo, CO
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N185RFCessna A185F
- Defining event
- Landing-landing roll: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class
- Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20210307001019A
- Case key
- 102731
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 in gusting crosswind conditions.
Findings · 4
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
The pilot reported that he had landed in gusting wind conditions with 40° of flaps extended, when during the landing roll as the airplane reached the taxiway, a wind gust lifted the right wing, and the left wing struck the ground. After several seconds the right wing lowered, and he taxied the airplane to the ramp. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. At the time of the accident, the pilot had landed on runway 08R and was about to turn onto taxiway A4 with the wind from the southeast at 11 knots with gusts to 26 knots. The pilot reported that he should have been proactive in utilizing the ailerons for crosswind control, and that he should have raised the flaps sooner.
Factual narrative
The pilot stated that he completed a landing in gusting wind conditions with 40° of flaps extended. During the landing roll as the airplane reached the taxiway, a wind gust lifted the right wing and the left wing struck the ground. After several seconds the right wing lowered and he taxied to the ramp. He added that there no mechanical malfunctions with the airplane. The pilot recommended that he should have been proactive in utilizing the ailerons for crosswind control, and that he should have raised the flaps sooner.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N185RF
- Reported as
- Cessna A185F
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 18502942
- Built
- 1976
- Airframe hours
- 6,404.9
- Engine
- Continental Motors TIO-520-D, 300 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Kwesell Michael R
- Registered owner
- Kwesell Michael R
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · December 2, 2020
- Departed
- KFLY · Colorado Springs, CO
- Destination
- Same as departure
- Airport
- PUB · Pueblo Meml, runway 08R/26L, 10,498 × 150 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- Handheld GPS, Electronic flight bag or handheld device, ADS-B
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
- 42
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Waiver time limited special
- Last flight review
- June 28, 2020
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 406 total · 257 in this make and model · 242 as pilot in command · 142 in the last 90 days · 74 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 130° at 14 knots, gusting 19
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 72 °F, dew point 10 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.06 inHg
- Observed at
- KPUB
- METAR
- KPUB 072053Z 13014G19KT 10SM CLR 22/M12 A3006 RMK AO2 SLP145 T02171122 58019
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on July 19, 2021, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 6.2 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.
Other investigations on N185RF · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.