- Date
- October 19, 2015, 16:15 local (21:15 UTC)
- Place
- Sioux Falls, SD
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N9780GCessna 180H
- Defining event
- Landing: Loss of control in flight
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report January 15, 2016
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20151019017399A
- Case key
- 92206
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 decision to land with a 20 knot direct cross wind, which resulted in a loss of directional control and the right wing impacting terrain and a subsequent ground loop.
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 reported that he received information Papa prior to landing, information Papa was wind 240 degrees at 20 knots, and he was landing on runway 33. He reported that it "occurred" to him that it was a 20 knot direct crosswind. The pilot reported that while landing in crosswind conditions, he was "holding extreme" left aileron to compensate for the crosswind. He reported that as the airplane touched down, a gust lifted the left wing, and he was "unable to keep it down" with aileron control inputs. Subsequently the right wing impacted the runway, and the airplane ground looped. The pilot reported that there were no pre-impact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right aileron. According to the manufacturer, the accident airplane's Owner's Manual does not specify a demonstrated maximum crosswind component, however a similar make and model airplane's Pilot Operating Handbook specifies a maximum demonstrated crosswind component of 12 knots.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that he received information Papa prior to landing, information Papa was wind 240 degrees at 20 knots, and he was landing on runway 33. He reported that it "occurred" to him that it was a 20 knot direct crosswind. The pilot reported that while landing in crosswind conditions, he was "holding extreme" left aileron to compensate for the crosswind. He reported that as the airplane touched down, a gust lifted the left wing, and he was "unable to keep it down" with aileron control inputs. Subsequently the right wing impacted the runway, and the airplane ground looped. The pilot reported that there were no pre-impact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right aileron. According to the manufacturer, the accident airplane's Owner's Manual does not specify a demonstrated maximum crosswind component, however a similar make and model airplane's Pilot Operating Handbook specifies a maximum demonstrated crosswind component of 12 knots.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N9780G
- Reported as
- Cessna 180H (H)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 18052280
- Built
- 1972
- Airframe hours
- 4,200
- Engine
- Continental O-470, 230 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · May 8, 2015
- Departed
- 9V9 · Chamberlain, SD
- Destination
- FSD · Sioux Falls, SD
- Flight plan
- IFR
- Airport
- FSD · Joe Foss Field, runway 33, 8,000 × 150 ft, concrete
- Equipment
- Onboard weather, Handheld GPS, Electronic primary flight display, Auto-pilot, Stall warning system, Satellite tracking device
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
- 72
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- September 20, 2014
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 1,200 total · 350 in this make and model · 1,180 as pilot in command · 20 in the last 90 days · 10 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 260° at 7 knots, gusting 15
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Temperature
- 79 °F, dew point 48 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.73 inHg
- Observed at
- KFSD, 1 nm away
Docket · 3
The files NTSB released with the investigation on December 24, 2015, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 921 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.