# NTSB GAA18CA449: Cessna 182, N6167L, Swainsboro, GA, June 30, 2018 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report - Date: June 30, 2018, 17:00 local (21:00 UTC) - Place: Swainsboro, GA - Coordinates: 32.609165, -82.370002 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=32.6092&lon=-82.3700&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Landing-flare/touchdown: Hard landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report September 26, 2019 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: General Aviation Accidents - Parties: FAA - NTSB case key (mKey): 97912 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=GAA18CA449 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/97912/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=97912 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA18CA449 ## Probable cause The pilot's unstabilized approach during the initial landing with a right quartering tailwind, which resulted in a hard landing and subsequent go-around and the collapse of the nose landing gear during the subsequent landing. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Performance/control parameters: airspeed](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062010): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 182T, 4 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062010/cases.md?model=2072703), [All aircraft, 1,681 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062010/cases.md) - [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 182T, 26 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=2072703), [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md) - [Performance/control parameters: descent/approach/glide path](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062040): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 182T, 5 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062040/cases.md?model=2072703), [All aircraft, 809 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062040/cases.md) - [Wind: tailwind](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034015): Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Effect on operation; cases with it: [Cessna 182T, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034015/cases.md?model=2072703), [All aircraft, 594 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034015/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Approach: Other weather encounter](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/400); cases with it: [Cessna 182T, 4 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/400/sequence.md?model=2072703), [All aircraft, 1,127 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/400/sequence.md) - [Landing-flare/touchdown: Hard landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092) (defining event); cases with it: [Cessna 182T, 4 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md?model=2072703), [All aircraft, 2,102 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md) - [Landing-flare/touchdown: Landing gear collapse](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/094); cases with it: [Cessna 182T, 4 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/094/sequence.md?model=2072703), [All aircraft, 1,787 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/094/sequence.md) - [Landing-flare/touchdown: Loss of control on ground](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230); cases with it: [Cessna 182T, 9 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230/sequence.md?model=2072703), [All aircraft, 4,585 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot reported that rain showers were present near his destination airport, so he diverted and landed at a nearby airport. He added that, during the approach, he felt the airplane was being pushed forward and saw an increase in indicated airspeed and nose-down attitude. He continued the approach, and upon touchdown, the airplane landed hard on the nosewheel first and bounced, so he initiated a go-around. He then re-entered the pattern, approached the same runway, and upon touchdown, the nose landing gear (NLG) collapsed, and airplane exited the runway to the left into a ditch. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the NLG tunnel. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The airport's automated weather observation station (AWOS) reported that, about 7 minutes before the accident, the wind was from 100° at 7 knots. The pilot landed the airplane on runway 32. The pilot reported that he believed the NLG was damaged during the initial landing. He added that, after landing, the windsock was found to be damaged and that it was not indicating the wind direction properly. However, the airport's AWOS was accessible by radio. ## Factual narrative The pilot reported that rain showers were present in the vicinity of his destination airport, so he diverted and landed at a nearby airport. During the approach, the pilot felt the airplane was being pushed forward and saw an increase in indicated airspeed and nose down attitude. He continued the approach and upon touchdown, the airplane landed hard on the nosewheel first and after a subsequent bounce, he initiated a go-around. He then re-entered the pattern, approached the same runway and upon touchdown, the nose landing gear collapsed, and airplane exited the runway to the left into a ditch. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the nose landing gear tunnel. 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 station located on the airport reported that, about 7 minutes prior to the accident, the wind was from 100° at 7 knots. The airplane landed on runway 32. The pilot added that he believed the airplane's nose landing gear was damage during the initial landing. He further stated that, after landing, the windsock was discovered to be damaged, and not indicating wind direction properly. However, the airport's AWOS was accessible by aircraft radio. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N6167L](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N6167L), registered now, S/N 18281380, built 2004 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Cessna 182 (T) - Registry model: [Cessna 182T](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-182t) (registry code 2072703) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming IO-540 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-io-540-series) (registry code 41530, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 18281380 - Year built: 2004 - Engines: Lycoming IO-540 SER reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Operator: Sporty's Academy - Registered owner: Eastern Cincinnati Aviation Inc - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Departed: I69, Batavia, OH - Destination: CRG, Jacksonville, FL - Flight plan: VFR - Airport: SBO, East Georgia Regional, runway 32, 6,021 × 100 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 37; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, without waivers/limitations; seat: left; restraint: 3-point ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 100° at 7 knots - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 93 °F, dew point 73 °F - Altimeter: 30.00 inHg - Observed at: KSBO ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20180630008899A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20180630008899A), Jun 30, 2018: Cessna 182T, Swainsboro, GA, Substantial damage. On June 30 2018 at approximately 6 pm EST. [privacy data omitted] A private pilot with approx 96TOTAL hours, attempted to land a Cessna, 182T, N6167L on runway… ## Docket (4 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on May 28, 2019, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=97912. 2.2 MB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 986 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40473176&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Master.PDF - Pilot Statement (item 2, .PDF, 149 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40473177&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%20Statement-Master.PDF - Witness Statement (item 3, .PDF, 958 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40473179&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Witness%20Statement-Master.PDF - Accident Photo (item 4, .PDF, 1 photo, 101 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40473178&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Accident%20Photo-Master.PDF From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.