# NTSB CEN24LA321: Cessna A185, N4490R, Loveland, CO, August 20, 2024

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report
- Date: August 19, 2024, 19:45 local (Aug 20, 2024, 01:45 UTC)
- Place: Loveland, CO
- Coordinates: 40.452955, -105.01106 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.4530&lon=-105.0111&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Landing-flare/touchdown: Loss of control on ground](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 3 uninjured
- Status: Completed
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office: Central Region
- Parties: FAA Denver FSDO
- NTSB case key (mKey): 194973
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN24LA321
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/194973/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=194973
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN24LA321

## Probable cause

The pilot’s failure to maintain directional control during the landing, that resulted in a ground loop and a runway excursion. Contributing to the accident was the flight instructor’s delayed remedial action.

## Findings

NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause.

- [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna A185F, 71 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=2072821), [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md)
- [Action: delayed action](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041025): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Instructor/check pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna A185F, 4 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041025/cases.md?model=2072821), [All aircraft, 894 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041025/cases.md)
- [Performance/control parameters: directional control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna A185F, 56 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020/cases.md?model=2072821), [All aircraft, 3,958 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020/cases.md)
- [Attention/monitoring: task monitoring/vigilance](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02021520): Personnel issues › Psychological · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna A185F, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02021520/cases.md?model=2072821), [All aircraft, 330 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02021520/cases.md)
- [Attention/monitoring: task monitoring/vigilance](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02021520): Personnel issues › Psychological · Instructor/check pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna A185F, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02021520/cases.md?model=2072821), [All aircraft, 330 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02021520/cases.md)

## Sequence of events

The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened.

- [Landing-flare/touchdown: Loss of control on ground](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230) (defining event); cases with it: [Cessna A185F, 75 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230/sequence.md?model=2072821), [All aircraft, 4,585 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230/sequence.md)
- [Landing-landing roll: Runway excursion](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300); cases with it: [Cessna A185F, 34 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300/sequence.md?model=2072821), [All aircraft, 3,643 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300/sequence.md)
- [Landing-landing roll: Landing gear collapse](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/094); cases with it: [Cessna A185F, 12 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/094/sequence.md?model=2072821), [All aircraft, 1,787 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/094/sequence.md)
- [Landing-landing roll: Collision during takeoff/land](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/490); cases with it: [Cessna A185F, 11 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/490/sequence.md?model=2072821), [All aircraft, 1,309 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/490/sequence.md)
- [Post-impact: Evacuation](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/460); cases with it: [Cessna A185F, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/460/sequence.md?model=2072821), [All aircraft, 103 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/460/sequence.md)

## Analysis

Before the landing, the pilot told the flight instructor that he “wasn’t real comfortable” with the landing, as he had never landed to the particular runway before, which he classified as shorter and narrower. The flight instructor said the landing would be “okay,” and the pilot completed the before landing checklist with the tailwheel unlocked and full flaps applied for the three-point landing. After touchdown, the airplane bounced and immediately after the second touchdown, the airplane ground looped and departed the runway to the left. The right main landing gear collapsed, and the right wing and the empennage impacted the ground. The airplane came to rest upright on a grass field next to the runway and the three occupants were able to egress from the airplane without further incident. The airplane sustained substantial damaged to the fuselage, the right wing, and the empennage. The pilot reported there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airframe or the engine that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot further reported that a ground loop had occurred “very fast,” and the cause of the accident was “human error.”

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N4490R](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N4490R-2024-09-16), registration cancelled 2024-09-16, S/N 18502970, built 1976 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA A185 (F)
- Registry model: [Cessna A185F](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-a185f) (registry code 2072821) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Continental IO-520 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-io-520-series) (registry code 17032, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 18502970
- Year built: 1976
- Airframe hours: 1670.2
- Engines: Continental Motors IO-520-D24B 285 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Instructional, Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: Annual, August 7, 2024, 7.2 hours before
- Departed: BJC, Broomfield, CO
- Destination: Same as departure
- Airport: FNL, Northern Colorado Rgnl, runway 06/24, 2,189 × 40 ft, asphalt
- Equipment: ADS-B, Stall warning system, Electronic flight bag or handheld device, Onboard weather

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 65; injuries: none; commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 1, with waivers/limitations; last flight review June 15, 2024; seat: left; restraint: 4-point; flight hours: 6,222 total, 9 in this make and model, 6,188 as pilot in command, 22 in the last 90 days, 10 in the last 30 days
- Flight instructor; age 67; injuries: none; airline transport, flight instructor, commercial; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: basicmed, without waivers/limitations; last flight review October 27, 2023; seat: right; restraint: 4-point; flight hours: 25,000 total, 2,000 in this make and model, 20,000 as pilot in command, 30 in the last 90 days, 10 in the last 30 days, 3 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 140° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Temperature: 82 °F, dew point 61 °F
- Altimeter: 30.20 inHg
- Observed at: KFNL
- METAR: KFNL 200056Z AUTO 14005KT 10SM SCT120 28/16 A3020 RMK AO2 SLP159 T02780156 PNO $

## FAA reports on this event (1)

The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs).

- [Accident 20240819011129A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20240819011129A), Aug 19, 2024: Cessna A185F, Fort Collins, CO, Substantial damage. On 08/19/2024 at approximately (6:37 pm) hrs (MDT) location northern Colorado regional airport., (kfnl) Cessna 185 on landing rwy 06 bounced and went off…

## Docket (4 files)

The files NTSB released with the investigation on September 19, 2024, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=194973. 2.3 MB in all.

- Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 9 pages, 1.7 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=17548378&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=N4490R%20NTSB%20Form%206120_1_Redacted-Rel.pdf
- Accident photographs (item 2, PDF, 5 pages, 550 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=17547405&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Accident%20Photographs-Rel.pdf
- Record of conversation - pilot (item 3, PDF, 1 page, 63 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=17548650&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=CEN24LA321%20Pilot%20MOR-Rel.pdf
- Wind information (item 4, PDF, 1 page, 54 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=17548330&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=CEN24LA321%20-%20Wind%20Information-Rel.pdf

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

---
OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.