- Date
- May 9, 2002, 16:10 local (21:10 UTC)
- Place
- Hyannis, NE
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N9135CCessna 180
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report August 28, 2002
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20020509010099A
- Case key
- 54683
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 did not maintain directional control and executed improper use of the brakes. A factor associated with the accident was the soft terrain.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The airplane sustained substantial damage when it nosed over on soft terrain following a loss of directional control on landing. The pilot reported that the touchdown was smooth, but that the airplane began to veer to the right on the landing roll. He stated that he attempted to straighten the airplane using left rudder and brake to no avail. The airplane continued off the runway where it contacted terrain which contained several inches of standing water. The pilot reported that he could not recall whether his foot was on the brake or if the brake locked up. He reported that there were no problems with the aircraft and that the accident resulted from "pilot error".
Factual narrative
On May 9, 2002, at 1610 central daylight time, a Cessna 180, N9135C, nosed over on soft terrain following a loss of directional control on landing. The landing was being made on runway 35 (2,935 feet by 30 feet, dry asphalt) at the Hyannis Grant County Airport, Hyannis, Nebraska. The private pilot and passenger were not injured. The tailwheel airplane was substantially damaged. The 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight was operating in visual meteorological conditions and no flight plan was filed. The flight originated from McCook, Nebraska, at 1500.
According to the pilot's written statement, the wind appeared to be out of the northwest upon approaching the Grant County Airport. The pilot stated that the crosswind landing on runway 35 was smooth, but the left wing came up when the aircraft was approximately 500 feet down the runway on the landing roll. The pilot stated that he stepped on the brakes, catching the right wheel on the runway. According to the pilot, the aircraft veered to the right and he attempted to straighten the airplane using left rudder and brake. The pilot reported that the airplane continued off the runway, contacted muddy terrain, and nosed over on the soft terrain. According to the pilot, he reported that he "honestly couldn't say whether or not his foot was on the brake of if the brake locked up." He then reported that there was nothing wrong with the airplane and that it was "pilot error."
At 1553, the wind at the Alliance Municipal Airport (46 miles west of the accident site) was reported to be from 270 degrees at 6 knots gusting to 14 knots.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N9135C
- Reported as
- Cessna 180
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 31234
- Engine
- Continental O-470A, 225 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Michael R. Vontour
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- MCK · McCook, NE
- Destination
- 1V2 · Hyannis, NE
- Airport
- 1V2 · Hyannis Grant County Airport, runway 35, 2,935 × 30 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
- 45
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Last flight review
- October 13, 2001
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 1,349 total · 120 in this make and model · 1,349 as pilot in command · 72 in the last 90 days · 28 in the last 30 days · 7 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 270° at 6 knots, gusting 14
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 55 °F, dew point 12 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.05 inHg
- Observed at
- AIA, 46 nm away
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on August 9, 2002, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 373 KB 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.