- Date
- May 9, 2017, 13:30 local (20:30 UTC)
- Place
- Columbia, CA
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N185RXCessna A185
- Defining event
- Landing-landing roll: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 15, 2017
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- Case key
- 95137
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 in tailwind and crosswind conditions.
Findings · 4
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 the tailwheel-equipped airplane reported that, during the landing roll and while he transitioned from rudder control to brakes, "a gust of wind hit my [the airplane's] tail." The airplane veered off the runway to the left, the right main landing gear collapsed, and the right wing impacted the ground. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The automated weather observation system at the accident airport reported that, about the time of the accident, the wind was from 250° at 6 knots. The pilot landed on runway 35.
Factual narrative
The pilot of the tailwheel-equipped airplane reported that, during the landing roll and while he transitioned from rudder control to brakes, "a gust of wind hit my [the airplane's] tail". The airplane veered off the runway to the left, the right main landing gear collapsed, and the right wing impacted the ground. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The automated weather observation system at the accident airport reported that, about the time of the accident, the wind was from 250° at 6 knots. The pilot landed on runway 35.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N185RX
- Reported as
- Cessna A185 (F)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 18504118
- Built
- 1980
- Airframe hours
- 3,508
- Engine
- Continental Motors IO-520-D, 300 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · March 1, 2017
- Departed
- CXL · Calexico, CA
- Destination
- O22 · Columbia, CA
- Airport
- O22 · Columbia, runway 35, 4,673 × 75 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- Stall warning system, Electronic flight bag or handheld device, Electronic multifunction display, Handheld GPS
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
- 78
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- October 9, 2016
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 4,000 total · 3,700 in this make and model · 4,000 as pilot in command · 35 in the last 90 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 250° at 6 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 77 °F, dew point 50 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.88 inHg
- Observed at
- KO22
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 23, 2017, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1.9 MB in all.