- Date
- August 21, 2016, 15:34 local (21:34 UTC)
- Place
- Caldwell, ID
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N4477RCessna A185
- Defining event
- Landing-landing roll: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 5, 2016
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20160821015069A
- Case key
- 93881
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 in crosswind conditions, which resulted in a ground loop.
Findings · 3
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 a tailwheel-equipped airplane reported that during the landing roll with a crosswind the airplane drifted to the left. He further reported that his control inputs to correct created a "swerve," which resulted in a ground loop to the right on the runway. During the ground loop, the left wing was substantially damaged after an impact with the runway. An automated weather observing system near the time of the accident at the airport recorded the wind at 340 degrees true at 8 knots. The pilot reported he landed on runway 30. The pilot did not report any mechanical malfunction or failure with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The pilot of a tailwheel-equipped airplane reported that during the landing roll with a crosswind the airplane drifted to the left. He further reported that his control inputs to correct created a "swerve," which resulted in a ground loop to the right on the runway. During the ground loop, the left wing was substantially damaged after an impact with the runway. An automated weather observing system near the time of the accident at the airport recorded the wind at 340 degrees true at 8 knots. The pilot reported he landed on runway 30. The pilot did not report any mechanical malfunction or failure with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N4477R
- Reported as
- Cessna A185 (F)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 18502967
- Built
- 1976
- Airframe hours
- 2,419
- Engine
- Continental IO-520-D, 300 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · May 20, 2016
- Departed
- HES · Healdsburg, CA
- Destination
- EUL · Caldwell, ID
- Airport
- EUL · Caldwell Industrial, runway 30, 5,500 × 100 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- Electronic flight bag or handheld device, Data recorder, Auto-pilot, ADS-B, Stall warning system, Onboard weather
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
- 67
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine sea, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- June 25, 2016
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 4-point
- Flight hours
- 1,859 total · 1,118 in this make and model · 1,772 as pilot in command · 20 in the last 90 days · 15 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 340° at 8 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 93 °F, dew point 39 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.80 inHg
- Observed at
- KEUL
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 5, 2016, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 2.0 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.