CHI96LA257

NTSB accident investigation · Cessna 188 · Napoleon, ND · July 29, 1996

Accident · Minor injuriesLimited investigationFinal report
Date
July 28, 1996, 19:22 local (Jul 29, 1996, 00:22 UTC)
Place
Napoleon, ND
Injuries
1 minor
Damage
Substantial damage
Phase of flight
Landing
Aircraft
N5708GCessna 188
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Day
Status
Completed · report December 16, 1996
Report
Approved by Office Director
FAA report
19960728046409A
Case key
10327

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 improper use of the rudder to correct the airplane's drift to the right. A factor was the pilot's inadequate compensation for the crosswind.

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.

Loss of control - on ground/waterLanding - flare/touchdown
Weather condition - crosswind
Compensation for wind conditions - inadequatePilot in commandFactor
Rudder - improper use ofPilot in commandCause
Ground loop/swerve - inadvertentPilot in command

Analysis

During landing, the airplane encountered what the pilot described as a light, left crosswind. He said he corrected for the crosswind by lowering the left wing and applying opposite rudder to keep the nose straight. He said the airplane began drifting (skipping) to the right. He then applied full left rudder and the airplane ground looped to the right. The onscene investigation found the left wing main spar and skin had wrinkles in them, and the left main landing gear leg was protruding through the right wing.

Factual narrative

On July 28, 1996, at 1922 central daylight time (cdt), a Cessna 188, N5708G, piloted by a commercially certificated pilot, was substantially damaged during landing when it ground looped and collided with the ground. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The 14 CFR Part 137 aerial application flight was not operating on a flight plan. The pilot reported no injuries. The flight had departed Napoleon, North Dakota, at 1800 cdt.

The pilot said he was making a wheel landing with a light, left, crosswind. He said the airplane's left wing raised due to a gust of wind. A second wind gust caused the airplane to begin skipping to the right, according to the pilot. He said he applied full left rudder without any additional left aileron. The pilot said the airplane ground lopped a short time later. The left main landing gear separated from the fuselage. The left wing skin and spar has wrinkles in it, and the left main gear leg is protruding through the right wing from the bottom.

Aircraft

Registration
N5708G
Reported as
Cessna 188
Category
Airplane
Serial number
18801138
Airframe hours
4,389
Engine
Continental IO-520-D26B, 300 horsepower, reciprocating
Damage
Substantial damage
Flight
Aerial application · Part 137
Registered owner
Jamestown Aviation, Inc.
Airworthiness certificate
Special, Restricted (Special)
Last inspection
Annual · May 23, 1996 · 56 hours before
Departed
ND45
Destination
ND45
Airport
ND45 · Napoleon Municipal, runway 30, 3,200 × 60 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
31
Certificate
Commercial
Airplane ratings
Single-engine land
Instrument ratings
Airplane
Medical
Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
Seat
Center
Flight hours
515 total · 78 in this make and model · 359 as pilot in command · 105 in the last 90 days · 66 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC) · Day
Wind
140° at 10 knots
Visibility
10 statute miles
Lowest ceiling
10,000 ft broken
Temperature
66 °F, dew point 61 °F
Altimeter
30.00 inHg
Observed at
BIS

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 N5708G · 1

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.