GAA18CA404

NTSB accident investigation · Cessna 180 · Cut Bank, MT · July 9, 2018

Accident · No injuriesData collectionFinal report
Date
July 9, 2018, 12:00 local (18:00 UTC)
Place
Cut Bank, MT
Injuries
2 uninjured
Damage
Substantial damage
Phase of flight
Landing
Aircraft
N180GBCessna 180
Defining event
Landing-landing roll: Loss of control on ground
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Day
Status
Completed · report June 5, 2019
Report
Approved by Office Director
NTSB office
General Aviation Accidents
Parties
FAA
FAA report
20180709009439A
Case key
97720

From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.

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Probable cause

The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during the landing roll.

Findings · 2

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.

Use of equip/info: aircraft controlPersonnel issues › Task performance · PilotCessna 180: 65 casesAll aircraft: 9,295 casesProbable cause
Performance/control parameters: directional controlAircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintainedCessna 180: 64 casesAll aircraft: 3,958 casesProbable cause

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 in the tailwheel-equipped airplane, he circled the airport to check the wind direction and speed and then he initiated a final approach about 70 knots with 3 notches of flaps. He reported that the airplane encountered a wind gust before he initiated the landing flare. Upon touchdown, the airplane bounced, and he applied forward yoke pressure. The airplane began to drift right of the runway centerline during the landing roll, and he applied left rudder and left aileron to counter the drift, but when the tailwheel touched down, the airplane veered left. He applied right rudder and right brake, but the right main landing gear collapsed, the left wing lifted, and the right wing struck the ground. The airplane exited the left side of the runway, and it came to rest in the grass safety area. The airplane sustained substantial damage to right wing spar. The pilot reported that, about the time of the accident, the wind was about 7 knots from the west-southwest. The pilot landed the airplane on runway 32. The METAR at the airport reported that, about the time of the accident, the wind was calm and the skies were clear. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

Factual narrative

According to the pilot in the tailwheel-equipped airplane, he circled the airport to check the wind direction and speed, and then he initiated a final approach about 70 knots with 3 notches of flaps. He reported that the airplane encountered a wind gust prior to initiating the landing flare. Upon touchdown of the wheel landing the airplane bounced and he applied forward yoke pressure. The airplane began to drift to the right of the runway center line during the landing roll and he applied left rudder and left aileron to counter the drift, but when the tailwheel touched down, the airplane veered to the left. He applied right rudder and right brake, but the right main landing gear collapsed, the left wing lifted, and the right wing struck the ground. The airplane exited the left side of the runway and it came to rest in the grass safety area. The airplane sustained substantial damage to right wing spar. The pilot reported that about the time of the accident, the wind was from the west-southwest, about 7 knots. The pilot landed on runway 32. The METAR at the accident airport reported that about the time of the accident, the wind was calm, and the skies were clear. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

Aircraft

Registration
N180GB
Reported as
Cessna 180 (Undesignat)
Category
Airplane
Serial number
30498
Built
1953
Airframe hours
4,273.9
Engine
Continental O-470, 230 horsepower, reciprocating
Damage
Substantial damage
Flight
Personal · Part 91
Airworthiness certificate
Standard, Normal
Last inspection
Annual · April 20, 2018
Departed
CYQE · Red Deer
Destination
CTB · Cut Bank, MT
Flight plan
VFR
Airport
CTB · Cut Bank Intl, runway 32, 5,300 × 75 ft, asphalt
Equipment
Electronic flight bag or handheld device, ADS-B

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
65
Injuries
None
Certificate
Commercial
Airplane ratings
Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
Instrument ratings
Airplane
Medical
Class 2, With waivers/limitations
Last flight review
December 1, 2017
Seat
Left
Restraint
3-point
Flight hours
3,163.1 total · 176.5 in this make and model · 3,141.6 as pilot in command · 118.4 in the last 90 days · 58.7 in the last 30 days · 8.6 in the last 24 hours

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC) · Day
Wind
Calm
Visibility
10 statute miles
Lowest ceiling
None
Temperature
82 °F, dew point 41 °F
Altimeter
30.12 inHg
Observed at
KCTB

Docket · 2

The files NTSB released with the investigation on December 11, 2018, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 4.2 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.