- Date
- March 18, 2008, 14:30 local (20:30 UTC)
- Place
- Glenwood Spring, CO
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N67WWCessna 180H
- Defining event
- Landing-flare/touchdown: Loss of control in flight
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report August 28, 2008
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- FAA Flight Standards District Office
- FAA report
- 20080318012709A
- Case key
- 67779
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's failure to maintain directional control of the airplane during landing. Contributing to the accident was the strong left quartering tailwind and gust.
Findings · 5
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The pilot said that as he approached his destination, AWOS reported the winds to be calm. Everything was "normal" as he crossed runway 32 threshold. The airplane touched down and the pilot felt a strong left quartering tailwind gust. The airplane lifted off and drifted to the right towards a snow bank, hangar, and fuel pump. The airplane touched down again and the pilot decided to commit to a landing, applying maximum brakes. The tail rose up and the propeller struck the ground. Post-accident examination disclosed the firewall was buckled. The nearest weather reporting facility reported the wind from 300 degrees at 11 knots.
Factual narrative
On March 18, 2008, approximately 1430 mountain daylight time, a Cessna 180H, N67WW, registered to and operated by the pilot, was substantially damaged when it nosed down on landing at Glenwood Springs Airport (GWS), Glenwood Springs, Colorado. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The personal flight was being conducted under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91 without a flight plan. The private pilot, the sole occupant on board, was not injured. The cross-country flight originated in Santa Monica, California, approximately 0700 Pacific daylight time and, after refueling in St. George, Utah, departed at 1100 and was en route to GWS.
The pilot said that as he approached GWS, the Automated Weather Observation Station (AWOS) reported the winds to be calm. Everything was "normal" as he crossed the runway threshold. The airplane touched down and the pilot felt a strong left quartering tailwind gust. The airplane lifted off and drifted to the right towards a snow bank, hangar, and fuel pump. The airplane touched down again and the pilot decided to commit to a landing, applying maximum brakes. The tail rose up and the propeller struck the ground. Post-accident examination disclosed the firewall was buckled. The pilot reported no mechanical failures with the airplane.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N67WW
- Reported as
- Cessna 180H
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 118051812
- Airframe hours
- 3,600
- Engine
- Continental O-470-R, 230 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Max E. Wheeler
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · February 1, 2008
- Departed
- SGU · St. George, UT
- Destination
- GWS · Glenwood Spring, CO
- Airport
- GWS · Glenwood Springs Municipal, runway 32, 3,305 × 50 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
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- January 1, 2008
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 315 total · 225 in this make and model · 265 as pilot in command · 11 in the last 90 days · 6 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 300° at 11 knots, gusting 22
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 46 °F, dew point 18 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.14 inHg
- Observed at
- RIL, 23 nm away
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 N67WW · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.