- Date
- February 11, 1990, 11:47 local (17:47 UTC)
- Place
- Austin, TX
- Injuries
- 4 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N52035Cessna 180J
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 10, 1992
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19900211001889A
- Case key
- 23105
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 in command's failure to maintain directional control of the airplane during a downwind landing. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's lack of total experience in this type airplane.
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
Aircraft veered hard nose left on touchdown during landing with a 150 degree, 5 knot, right quartering tailwind. The pilot, who had 6 hours in the make and model, stated that application of full right rudder had no effect and the airplane ground looped. A previous tail wheel shimmy could not be duplicated by the pilot prior to departure on the accident flight. Post-accident inspection of the tail wheel assembly and cable system did not reveal any evidence of failure.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N52035
- Reported as
- Cessna 180J
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 18052454
- Engine
- Continental O-470, 230 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Mark C. Ritter
- Departed
- ERV · Kerrville, TX
- Destination
- AUS
- Airport
- AUS · Austin Muni, runway 13, 7,270 × 130 ft, concrete
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
- 23
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Flight hours
- 246 total · 6 in this make and model · 190 as pilot in command · 6 in the last 90 days · 6 in the last 30 days · 4 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 280° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 20 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 72 °F, dew point -0 °F
- Observed at
- AUS
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 N52035 · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.