- Date
- May 4, 1991, 14:15 local (21:15 UTC)
- Place
- Truckee, CA
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N9147CCessna 180
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report July 14, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19910504014249A
- Case key
- 27188
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
That the pilot improperly used the flight controls and brakes to arrest the runway excursion. Contributing to this accident was encountering unfavorable winds, crosswind conditions, and lack of experience in this type of airplane.
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.
Analysis
The pilot was departing runway 19 to practice touch and go takeoffs and landings. During the takeoff roll the pilot reported encountering a dust devil which caused the airplane to ground loop. The reported surface winds were 150 degrees at 10 knots gusting to 16 knots. The pilot had accrued only 15 hours in this tailwheel airplane of which 8 hours were as PIC. The pilot improperly used the flight controls and brakes while attempting to maintain directional control.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N9147C
- Reported as
- Cessna 180
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 31246
- Engine
- Continental O-470A, 225 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Mitch Legarza
- Registered owner
- Mitch Legarza
- Last inspection
- Unknown · January 2, 2000
- Airport
- TRK · Truckee, runway 19, 4,800 × 75 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
- 31
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Flight hours
- 160 total · 15 in this make and model · 43 as pilot in command
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 150° at 10 knots, gusting 16
- Visibility
- 30 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Observed at
- TRK, 1 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.