- Date
- July 14, 2007, 19:00 local (Jul 15, 2007, 00:00 UTC)
- Place
- Madison, SD
- Injuries
- 4 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N3306DCessna 180
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report August 30, 2007
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 20070714826389A
- Case key
- 66332
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 tailwheel vibrations during the landing roll that resulted in the tailwheel spring disconnect. Directional control was not possible and the grassy terrain were factors.
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 left main landing gear collapsed and the airplane came to rest on its left side during a landing roll. The pilot reported that after touchdown the tail wheel began to shimmy and the airplane began to shake. He reported that he "rode the rudder from side to side" in order to try and stop the shimmy. He reported that the airplane veered to the right near the end of the landing roll. The pilot reported he used the left rudder and brake to stop the turn, but the airplane kept veering. The airplane traveled into the grass where the left main landing gear then collapsed and the airplane came to rest on its left side. The pilot reported the tail springs came unhooked as a result of the tail wheel shimmy.
Factual narrative
The left main landing gear collapsed and the airplane came to rest on its left side during a landing roll. The pilot reported that after touchdown the rail wheel began to shimmy and the airplane began to shake. He reported that he "rode the rudder from side to side" in order to try and stop the shimmy. He reported that the airplane veered to the right near the end of the landing roll. The pilot reported he used the left rudder and brake to stop the turn, but the airplane kept veering. The airplane traveled into the grass where the left main landing gear then collapsed and the airplane came to rest on its left side. The pilot reported the tail springs came unhooked as a result of the tail wheel shimmy.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N3306D
- Reported as
- Cessna 180
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 32104
- Engine
- Continental O-470-R, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Charles J. Keppen
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- 7IA2 · Larchwood, IA
- Destination
- MDS · Madison, SD
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
- 48
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3
- Flight hours
- 1,970 total · 40 in this make and model · 1,920 as pilot in command · 52 in the last 90 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 30° at 12 knots
- Visibility
- 40 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 81 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.