LAX03LA140

NTSB accident investigation · Cessna 180J · Angwin, CA · April 22, 2003

Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal report
Date
April 22, 2003, 14:30 local (21:30 UTC)
Place
Angwin, CA
Injuries
1 uninjured
Damage
Substantial damage
Phase of flight
Landing
Aircraft
N7821KCessna 180J
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Day
Status
Completed · report April 28, 2004
Report
Approved by Office Director
Parties
Federal Aviation Administration
FAA report
20030422009419A
Case key
56869

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 inadequate compensation for the crosswind conditions and failure to maintain directional control of the airplane during the landing roll.

Sequence of events

NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.

Loss of control - on ground/waterLanding - roll
Weather condition - crosswind
Compensation for wind conditions - inadequatePilot in commandCause
Directional control - not maintainedPilot in commandCause
On ground/water encounter with terrain/waterLanding - roll
Terrain condition - ditch

Analysis

The airplane veered off the runway to the right and came to rest nose down in a ditch. The pilot had received an airport advisory from another airplane that the airport was experiencing a crosswind from the west and recommended runway 16. During the landing roll, with the tail still airborne, a gust of wind pushed the airplane to the right despite full rudder control input and braking by the pilot to the left.

Factual narrative

On April 22, 2003, at 1430 Pacific daylight time, a Cessna 180J, N7821K, veered off the runway and collided with a ditch while landing at Angwin Airport, Angwin, California. The airplane was owned and operated by the private pilot under 14 CFR Part 91. The pilot was not injured and the airplane was substantially damaged. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan had been filed. The flight originated at Angwin at 1130.

The pilot stated in the Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report (NTSB Form 6120.1/2) that he had received an airport advisory from another airplane that the airport was experiencing winds from the west and runway 16 was recommended. He stated that during the landing roll, with the tail of the airplane still airborne, a gust of wind forced the airplane to the right despite full rudder control input and braking to the left. The airplane veered off the runway to the right and came to rest nose down in a ditch.

The closest aviation weather reporting station is at Sonoma County Airport, 18 miles to the southwest. The winds recorded at Sonoma Country Airport for 1353 and 1453 were calm. The pilot reported that the winds at Angwin, at the time of the accident, were 260 degrees at 5 to 10 knots.

Aircraft

Registration
N7821K
Reported as
Cessna 180J
Category
Airplane
Serial number
18052755
Airframe hours
3,240.8
Engine
Continental O-470S, 230 horsepower, reciprocating
Damage
Substantial damage
Flight
Personal · Part 91
Airworthiness certificate
Standard, Normal
Last inspection
Annual · February 1, 2003 · 14.7 hours before
Departed
2O3 · St Helena, CA
Destination
2O3 · St Helena, CA
Airport
2O3 · Angwin-Parrett Field, runway 16, 3,217 × 50 ft, asphalt

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
60
Injuries
None
Certificate
Private
Airplane ratings
Single-engine land
Medical
Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
Last flight review
February 7, 2003
Seat
Left
Flight hours
717 total · 547 in this make and model · 710 as pilot in command · 15 in the last 90 days · 5 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC) · Day
Wind
0° at 0 knots
Visibility
10 statute miles
Lowest ceiling
3,900 ft broken
Temperature
63 °F, dew point 46 °F
Altimeter
29.92 inHg
Observed at
KSTS

FAA reports on this event · 1

The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.

Other investigations on N7821K · 1

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.