# NTSB ERA18LA115: Cessna 180K, N77NP, Canton, MS, March 23, 2018 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: March 23, 2018, 18:00 local (23:00 UTC) - Place: Canton, MS - Coordinates: 32.622501, -90.103057 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=32.6225&lon=-90.1031&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Landing: Runway excursion](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report May 29, 2019 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Eastern Region Aviation - Parties: FAA/FSDO - SAIBs cited in the narratives: [SAIB CE-09-35](https://openairdocs.org/saib/CE-09-35) (OpenAirDocs) - NTSB case key (mKey): 96934 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA18LA115 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/96934/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=96934 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA18LA115 ## Probable cause The pilot's decision to land the airplane with a tailwind, which led to a runway excursion. Contributing to the pilot's decision to land with a tailwind was a partial loss of engine power due to his failure to effectively use carburetor heat in conditions conducive to the formation of carburetor ice. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Info processing/decision: decision making/judgment](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 180K, 5 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520/cases.md?model=2072624), [All aircraft, 3,098 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520/cases.md) - [Wind: tailwind](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034015): Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Decision related to condition (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 180K, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034015/cases.md?model=2072624), [All aircraft, 594 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034015/cases.md) - [Action: incorrect action performance](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041015): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 180K, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041015/cases.md?model=2072624), [All aircraft, 1,386 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041015/cases.md) - [Ice/rain protection system: intake anti-ice, deice](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023020): Aircraft › Aircraft systems · Incorrect use/operation (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 180K, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023020/cases.md?model=2072624), [All aircraft, 108 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023020/cases.md) - [Temp/humidity/pressure: conducive to carburetor icing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03031030): Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Contributed to outcome (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 180K, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03031030/cases.md?model=2072624), [All aircraft, 435 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03031030/cases.md) - [Object/animal/substance: tree(s)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022020): Environmental issues › Physical environment · Contributed to outcome; cases with it: [Cessna 180K, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022020/cases.md?model=2072624), [All aircraft, 933 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022020/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Enroute: Loss of engine power (partial)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/342); cases with it: [Cessna 180K, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/342/sequence.md?model=2072624), [All aircraft, 1,858 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/342/sequence.md) - [Landing: Runway excursion](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300) (defining event); cases with it: [Cessna 180K, 7 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300/sequence.md?model=2072624), [All aircraft, 3,643 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300/sequence.md) - [Landing: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Cessna 180K, 8 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=2072624), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md) ## Analysis The private pilot stated that he was returning to the airstrip after a 20-minute flight over a river at 2,000 ft mean sea level when the engine began accumulating carburetor ice and began to run roughly. He applied carburetor heat, but the engine continued to run roughly. Since the pilot was near the intended landing point, he attempted to land with about 5 to 7 knots of tailwind. The airplane continued past the departure end of the airstrip and impacted trees before coming to rest in the upright position. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the wings, vertical stabilizer, rudder, and fuselage. The pilot reported that there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The weather conditions at the time of the accident were conducive to the formation of carburetor ice at glide and cruise power. It is likely that the engine initially lost partial power after accumulating carburetor ice. The pilot’s application of carburetor heat was ineffective at restoring engine power before the pilot decided to land the airplane with a tailwind. ## Factual narrative On March 23, 2018, about 1800 central daylight time, a Cessna 180K, N77NP, was substantially damaged during a forced landing following a partial loss of engine power near Canton, Mississippi. The private pilot was not injured. The privately-owned airplane was operated under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident and no flight plan was filed for the local flight that departed from a private airstrip.According to the pilot, while returning to the private airstrip, after a 20-minute flight over a river at 2,000 ft mean sea level (msl), the engine began accumulating carburetor ice and began to run "very rough." The pilot applied carburetor heat, but the engine continued to run rough. Since he was near the private airstrip he intended to land at, the pilot attempted to land with about 5 to 7 knots of tailwind. The airplane continued beyond the departure end of the runway and impacted trees before to coming to rest in the upright position. A Federal Aviation Administration inspector conducted an examination of the airplane after the accident and found that the wings, vertical stabilizer, rudder, and fuselage were substantially damaged. The engine remained attached to the airframe and the propeller remained attached to the engine. In addition, an unmeasured amount of fuel was noted in the fuel tanks. In the NTSB Pilot/Operator Accident Report, the pilot indicated that there were no failures or malfunctions of the airplane that would have precluded normal operation prior to the accident. The 1753 recorded weather observation at Hawkins Field Airport (HKS), Jackson, Mississippi, located about 18 nautical miles southwest of the accident location, included wind from 190° at 9 knots, visibility 10 miles, scattered clouds at 8,500 ft agl, temperature 24°C, dew point 4°C, and an altimeter setting of 30.10 inches of mercury. The carburetor icing probability chart from Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Special Airworthiness Information Bulletin (SAIB): CE-09-35 Carburetor Icing Prevention, June 30, 2009, showed a probability of icing at cruise/glide power at the temperature and dew point reported at the time of the accident. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N77NP](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N77NP-2021-05-02), registration cancelled 2021-05-02, S/N 18052937 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: CESSNA 180K (K) - Registry model: [Cessna 180K](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-180k) (registry code 2072624) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental O-470 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-o-470-series) (registry code 17026, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 18052937 - Year built: 1977 - Airframe hours: 5283.3 - Engines: CONT MOTOR R-O-470-U81B 230 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: 100 hour, October 5, 2017 - Departed: Canton, MS - Destination: Canton, MS - Equipment: Unknown ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 74; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 3, with waivers/limitations; last flight review March 12, 2017; seat: left; flight hours: 1,500 total, 750 in this make and model, 1,500 as pilot in command, 10 in the last 90 days, 3 in the last 30 days, 0.3 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 190° at 9 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 75 °F, dew point 39 °F - Altimeter: 30.10 inHg - Observed at: HKS, 18 nm away ## Other investigations on N77NP (1) From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. - [NTSB ATL04LA004](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ATL04LA004), Oct 4, 2003: Cessna 180K (N77NP), Starkville, MS, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's failure to compensate for a crosswind condition that resulted in the loss of directional control during a landing. A factor was the crosswind condition. ## Docket (4 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on January 28, 2019, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=96934. 5.9 MB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 1.2 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40469804&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Master.PDF - Weather Observations (item 2, .PDF, 143 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40469805&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Weather%20Observations-Master.PDF - Carburetor Icing Probability Chart (item 3, .PDF, 723 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40469806&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Carburetor%20Icing%20Probability%20Chart-Master.PDF - Investigative Photographs (item 4, .PDF, 4 photos, 3.8 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40469807&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Investigative%20Photographs-Master.PDF From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.