- Date
- June 2, 2017, 18:15 local (Jun 3, 2017, 01:15 UTC)
- Place
- San Carlos, CA
- Injuries
- 3 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N6259TCessna T182
- Defining event
- Landing-flare/touchdown: Abnormal runway contact
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report August 3, 2017
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA/ FSDO
- FAA report
- 20170602007929A
- Case key
- 95286
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 incorrect landing flare, which resulted in a hard, bounced landing.
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 reported that, during the landing flare in gusting crosswind conditions, the "pilot side wheel briefly touched down" and then "a wind gust pushed the plane down," which resulted in the nose gear impacting the runway hard. He added that he subsequently heard "a snapping popping bang under my feet" and that the airplane bounced. He further added that, when the airplane settled back to the runway, it skidded to the right off the runway. The firewall sustained substantial damage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. An automated weather observation station at the airport recorded that, about the time of the accident, the wind was from 280° at 13 knots. The pilot reported that the landing was on runway 30.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that, during the landing flare in gusting crosswind conditions, the "pilot side wheel briefly touched down" and then "a wind gust pushed the plane down," which resulted in the nose gear impacting the runway hard. He added that he subsequently heard "a snapping popping bang under my feet" and the airplane bounced back into the air. He further added that, when the airplane settled back to the runway, it skidded to the right off the runway. The firewall sustained substantial damage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. An automated weather observation station, at the accident airport, about the time of the accident, recorded wind 280° at 13 knots. The pilot reported that the landing was on runway 30.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N6259T
- Reported as
- Cessna T182 (T)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- T18208853
- Built
- 2008
- Airframe hours
- 1,051.7
- Engine
- Lycoming TIO-540-AK1A, 235 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business · Part 91
- Operator
- Rhys Vineyards LLC.
- Registered owner
- Rhys Vineyards LLC.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · December 29, 2016
- Departed
- HES · Healdsburg, CA
- Destination
- SQL · San Carlos, CA
- Airport
- SQL · San Carlos, runway 30, 2,600 × 75 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- Electronic primary flight display, Electronic multifunction display, 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
- 45
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- February 13, 2017
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 1,622 total · 1,007 in this make and model · 1,311 as pilot in command · 25 in the last 90 days · 9 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 280° at 13 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Temperature
- 70 °F, dew point 50 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.89 inHg
- Observed at
- KSQL
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on July 20, 2017, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 3.9 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.