GAA19CA504

NTSB accident investigation · Cessna 182 · Oakland, CA · August 4, 2019

Accident · No injuriesData collectionFinal report
Date
August 4, 2019, 10:00 local (17:00 UTC)
Place
Oakland, CA
Injuries
3 uninjured
Damage
Substantial damage
Phase of flight
Landing
Aircraft
N58628Cessna 182
Defining event
Landing-flare/touchdown: Abnormal runway contact
Weather
Instrument (IMC) · Day
Status
Completed · report February 11, 2020
Report
Approved by Office Director
NTSB office
General Aviation Accidents
Parties
FAA
FAA report
20190804017629A
Case key
100114

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 premature full retraction of the flaps during a go-around and his subsequent improper decision to turn with a minimal climb gradient, which resulted in an off-airport landing and a landing gear collapse.

Findings · 5

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.

Performance/control parameters: configurationAircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Capability exceededCessna 182P: 2 casesAll aircraft: 80 casesProbable cause
Flight control system: tE flap control systemAircraft › Aircraft systems · Incorrect use/operationCessna 182P: 3 casesAll aircraft: 74 casesProbable cause
Use of equip/info: use of equip/systemPersonnel issues › Task performance · PilotCessna 182P: 8 casesAll aircraft: 1,391 casesProbable cause
Performance/control parameters: configurationAircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Incorrect use/operationCessna 182P: 2 casesAll aircraft: 80 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

The pilot reported that, during landing, the airplane bounced multiple times. He added power and reduced the flaps to go around, but the airplane would not climb more than 25 ft. He waited to see if the situation would improve, but he was approaching the end of the runway. He turned the airplane right; however, the airplane still did not climb, so he reduced power and conducted an off-airport landing, during which the airplane bounced a few times, and the nose landing gear collapsed. He added that it was possible that "putting the flaps up un-incrementally could have prevented" the airplane from climbing. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage. 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 reported that, about 4 minutes after the accident, the wind was from 250° at 7 knots. The pilot landed the airplane on runway 28. The Federal Aviation Administration's Airplane Flying Handbook, FAA-H-8083-3B, contained a section titled, "Go-Arounds (Rejected Landings)," which stated, in part, the following: Caution must be used in retracting the flaps. Depending on the airplane's altitude and airspeed, it is wise to retract the flaps intermittently in small increments to allow time for the airplane to accelerate progressively as they are being raised. A sudden and complete retraction of the flaps could cause a loss of lift resulting in the airplane settling into the ground.

Factual narrative

The pilot reported that, during landing, the airplane bounced multiple times. He added power and reduced the flaps to go around, but the airplane was not climbing more than 25 ft. He waited to see if the situation would improve, but he ran out of runway. He turned right, still unable to climb, reduced power, and landed off airport. The airplane bounced a few times and the nose landing gear collapsed. He added that it was possible that "putting the flaps up un-incrementally could have prevented" his ability to climb. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage. 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 reported that, about 4 minutes after the accident, the wind was from 250° at 7 knots. The pilot landed the airplane on runway 28. Federal Aviation Administration's Airplane Flying Handbook, FAA-H-8083-3B, contains a section titled "Go-Arounds (Rejected Landings)" which states: Caution must be used in retracting the flaps. Depending on the airplane's altitude and airspeed, it is wise to retract the flaps intermittently in small increments to allow time for the airplane to accelerate progressively as they are being raised. A sudden and complete retraction of the flaps could cause a loss of lift resulting in the airplane settling into the ground.

Aircraft

Registration
N58628
Reported as
Cessna 182 (P)
Category
Airplane
Serial number
18262186
Built
1973
Engine
Continental O-470 SERIES, 235 horsepower, reciprocating
Damage
Substantial damage
Flight
Personal · Part 91
Operator
Oakland Flyers
Registered owner
Suburban Air Corporation
Airworthiness certificate
Standard, Normal
Departed
PRB · Paso Robles, CA
Destination
OAK · Oakland, CA
Flight plan
VFR/IFR
Airport
OAK · Metropolitan Oakland Intl, runway 28R, 5,458 × 150 ft, asphalt
Equipment
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
54
Injuries
None
Certificate
Private
Airplane ratings
Single-engine land
Instrument ratings
Airplane
Medical
BasicMed
Last flight review
April 9, 2019
Seat
Left
Restraint
3-point
Flight hours
1,445 total · 135 in this make and model · 1,356 as pilot in command · 16.3 in the last 90 days · 8.3 in the last 30 days · 1.2 in the last 24 hours

Weather

Conditions
Instrument (IMC) · Day
Wind
250° at 7 knots
Visibility
10 statute miles
Lowest ceiling
800 ft broken
Temperature
64 °F, dew point 57 °F
Altimeter
30.00 inHg
Observed at
KOAK

Docket · 3

The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 29, 2019, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 5.0 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.