- Date
- July 4, 2017, 09:03 local (13:03 UTC)
- Place
- Nashua, NH
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N9961NCessna 180
- Defining event
- Landing-landing roll: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report October 17, 2017
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Eastern Region Aviation
- Parties
- FAA/FSDO
- FAA report
- 20170704009899A
- Case key
- 95589
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 during the landing roll.
Findings · 2
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 of the airplane reported that the en route portion of the cross-country flight was uneventful and that conditions were "good." Following a normal approach and landing, he lost directional control of the airplane. The airplane ground looped and came to rest at the right edge of the runway in grass. During the accident sequence, the left main landing gear separated from the fuselage, and the left wing and propeller contacted the ground. A Federal Aviation Administration inspector examined the wreckage and reported that the airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage and left wing. The pilot reported that there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or anomalies with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The pilot of the airplane reported that the en route portion of the cross-country flight was uneventful and conditions were "good." Following a normal approach and landing, he lost directional control of the airplane. The airplane ground-looped and came to rest at the right edge of the runway, in the grass. The left main landing gear separated from the fuselage and the left wing and propeller contacted the ground during the accident sequence.A Federal Aviation Administration inspector examined the wreckage and reported that the airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage and left wing. The pilot reported there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or anomalies that would have precluded normal operation of the airplane.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N9961N
- Reported as
- Cessna 180 (J)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 18052616
- Built
- 1975
- Airframe hours
- 1,700
- Engine
- Cont Motor O-470, 230 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · December 23, 2016 · 60 hours before
- Departed
- PSM · Portsmouth, NH
- Destination
- ASH · Nashua, NH
- Flight plan
- Unknown
- Airport
- ASH · Boire Field, runway 32, 6,000 × 100 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- Stall warning system, Satellite tracking device, Auto-pilot
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 37
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- June 23, 2017
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- Lap only
- Flight hours
- 208 total · 59 in this make and model · 208 as pilot in command · 6 in the last 90 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 310° at 8 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 73 °F, dew point 57 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.07 inHg
- Observed at
- ASH
Docket · 3
The files NTSB released with the investigation on September 20, 2017, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 4.4 MB 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.