- Date
- September 5, 2016, 12:30 local (16:30 UTC)
- Place
- Clemson, SC
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N451SWCessna 180
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report January 18, 2017
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20160905015929A
- Case key
- 93997
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 loss of directional control during the takeoff roll, which resulted in a runway excursion.
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
According to the pilot of the tailwheel-equipped airplane, prior to the takeoff roll he applied one notch of flaps and added power. He reported that just before rotation the airplane veered to the left and he could not keep the airplane on the runway. He reported that he aborted the takeoff, applied the brakes and the airplane exited the runway to the left and impacted a drainage culvert. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing spar and ribs. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or anomalies with any portion of the airplane during the preflight that would have prevented the normal flight operations. The meteorological aerodrome report at the accident airport reported that the wind was out of 100 degrees true at 04 knots at the time of the accident. The pilot departed runway 25.
Factual narrative
According to the pilot of the tailwheel-equipped airplane, prior to the takeoff roll he applied one notch of flaps and added power. He reported that just before rotation the airplane veered to the left and he could not keep the airplane on the runway. He reported that he aborted the takeoff, applied the brakes and the airplane exited the runway to the left and impacted a drainage culvert. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing spar and ribs. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or anomalies with any portion of the airplane during the preflight that would have prevented the normal flight operations. The meteorological aerodrome report at the accident airport reported that the wind was out of 100 degrees true at 04 knots at the time of the accident. The pilot departed runway 25.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N451SW
- Reported as
- Cessna 180 (C)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 50885
- Built
- 1960
- Airframe hours
- 3,888.4
- Engine
- Cont Motor O-470, 230 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Continuous airworthiness · July 14, 2016
- Departed
- CEU · Clemson, SC
- Destination
- 3VG9 · South Boston, VA
- Airport
- CEU · Oconee County Rgnl, runway 25, 5,000 × 100 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- Electronic multifunction display
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
- 57
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- November 1, 2014
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 286 total · 4 in this make and model · 10 in the last 90 days · 10 in the last 30 days · 4 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 100° at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 82 °F, dew point 63 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.29 inHg
- Observed at
- KCEU
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on December 6, 2016, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 860 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.