- Date
- April 28, 2002, 12:00 local (18:00 UTC)
- Place
- Greeley, CO
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N4730QCessna A185E
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 20, 2002
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20020428010379A
- Case key
- 54616
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 inadvertent ground loop during landing roll. A contributing factor was the partial brake system failure.
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 pilot receiving instruction said, "Late in landing roll ... at approximately 25-30 mph brakes were applied and left brake failed due to ruptured brake line. Airplane veered right and ground-looped causing left wing tip and left elevator to contact runway." An examination of the airplane's left main landing gear showed that the left brake line was cracked, flattened, and leaking brake fluid.
Factual narrative
On April 28, 2002, approximately 1200 mountain daylight time, a Cessna A185E, N4730Q, piloted by an airline transport pilot, sustained substantial damage when the airplane ground-looped during landing at the Greeley/Weld County Airport (GXY), Greeley, Colorado. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The instructional flight was being conducted under the provisions of Title 14 CFR Part 91 and was not operating on a flight plan. The instructor pilot and airline transport pilot-rated dual student reported no injuries. The local flight originated approximately 1100.
The pilot receiving instruction said, "Late in landing roll on runway 9 (6,210 feet by 100 feet, dry asphalt) at approximately 25-30 mph brakes were applied and left brake failed due to ruptured brake line. Airplane veered right and ground-looped causing left wing tip and left elevator to contact runway."
An examination of the airplane revealed the outer portion of the front main spar, two ribs, and a portion of the rear spar to the airplane's left wing were bent upward and aft. The airplane's left wing tip was broken aft. The top skin of the left wing showed wrinkling. The left aileron was bent slightly upward. The bottom left elevator skin showed scraping. Flight control continuity was confirmed. An examination of the airplane's engine and engine controls showed no anomalies. An examination of the left main landing gear showed that a portion of the left wheel rim was broken. The left tire showed heavy rubs in the outer wall and tread. The left brake line was cracked, flattened, and leaking brake fluid.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N4730Q
- Reported as
- Cessna A185E
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 185-1184
- Airframe hours
- 3,823
- Engine
- Continental IO-520-D1, 300 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Brad and Arden Lindsey
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · February 19, 2002 · 20 hours before
- Departed
- GXY · Greeley, CO
- Destination
- GXY
- Airport
- GXY · Greeley-Weld County Airport, runway 09, 6,210 × 100 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 · 2
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 65
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Last flight review
- March 17, 2002
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 19,100 total · 12,000 in this make and model · 18,000 as pilot in command · 176 in the last 90 days · 97 in the last 30 days · 5 in the last 24 hours
- Role
- Student pilot
- Age
- 49
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Flight engineer, Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1
- Last flight review
- January 31, 2001
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 16,000 total · 14 in this make and model · 10,000 as pilot in command · 100 in the last 90 days · 10 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 10° at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 64 °F, dew point 28 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- GXY, 1 nm away
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on August 29, 2002, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 328 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.
Other investigations on N4730Q · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.