- Date
- June 11, 2017, 12:30 local (16:30 UTC)
- Place
- Belmar, NJ
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N71MHCessna 180
- Defining event
- Landing: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report April 8, 2019
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20170611009319A
- Case key
- 95369
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 while landing in gusting wind conditions.
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 the tailwheel-equipped airplane reported that, during the landing and as the left main landing gear (MLG) touched down, the airplane encountered a wind gust and then veered "abruptly" left. He added that, as the right MLG touched down, the airplane "began skidding to the left," and the right MLG collapsed. Subsequently, the airplane came to rest on the left side of the runway and nosed down. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The automated weather observation system at the airport reported that, about the time of the accident, the wind was from 260° at 10 knots, gusting to 15 knots. The pilot landed the airplane on runway 32.
Factual narrative
The pilot of the tailwheel-equipped airplane reported that, during the landing as the left main gear touched down, a wind gust veered the airplane "abruptly" to the left. He added that as the right gear touched down, the airplane "began skidding to the left", and the right main landing gear collapsed. Subsequently, the airplane came to rest on the left side of the runway, nose down. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The automated weather observation system on the accident airport reported, about the time of the accident, the wind was from 260° at 10 knots, gusting to 15 knots. The pilot landed on runway 32.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N71MH
- Reported as
- Cessna 180 (K)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 18052965
- Built
- 1977
- Airframe hours
- 5,722.5
- Engine
- Cont Motor IO-550-D, 300 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · April 18, 2017
- Departed
- BLM · Belmar, NJ
- Destination
- BLM · Belmar, NJ
- Airport
- BLM · Monmouth Executive, runway 32, 7,371 × 85 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- Handheld GPS, Auto-pilot
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
- 50
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- June 10, 2016
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 1,132 total · 681 in this make and model · 1,071 as pilot in command · 48 in the last 90 days · 15 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 260° at 10 knots, gusting 15
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 90 °F, dew point 61 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.07 inHg
- Observed at
- BLM
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on February 6, 2019, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1.4 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.