- Date
- June 8, 1997, 18:35 local (Jun 9, 1997, 01:35 UTC)
- Place
- Hollister, CA
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N3343DCessna 180
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report May 4, 1998
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19970608013559A
- Case key
- 29806
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 improper use of the elevator and his subsequent failure to maintain directional control during a touch-and-go landing. A factor in the accident was the pilot's application of full power following the loss of directional control, which increased the turning moment already generated by the initial swerve.
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 aircraft was destroyed by fire following a ground loop during a touch-and-go landing. The pilot stated that he did not place the elevator in the full up position after landing, which he felt reduced directional response to both the aerodynamic rudder and the steerable tail wheel. When the aircraft began to veer to the left, he added full power in an attempt to go around, which torqued the aircraft into a fully developed ground loop. During the ground loop, the right wingtip contacted the ground which caused the wing fuel tank to start leaking. The fuel was subsequently ignited and the fire consumed the aircraft.
Factual narrative
On June 8, 1997, at 1835 hours Pacific daylight time, a Cessna 180, N3343D, ground looped while the pilot was practicing touch-and-go landings at Frazier Lake Airpark, Hollister, California. The aircraft came to rest at the edge of the runway and was destroyed by fire. The private pilot, the sole occupant, evacuated the aircraft with no injuries and there was no property damage. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the personal flight and no flight plan was filed for the local flight.
The pilot stated in his report that he did not bring the wheel back to place the elevator in the full up position after landing, which he felt reduced directional response to both the aerodynamic rudder and the steerable tail wheel. Then, when the aircraft began to veer to the left, he attempted to go around, but the application of power caused the aircraft to veer harder to the left into a fully developed ground loop. The right wingtip contacted the ground which caused the wing fuel tank to start leaking. The fuel was subsequently ignited and consumed the aircraft.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N3343D
- Reported as
- Cessna 180
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 32141
- Airframe hours
- 4,104
- Engine
- Continental O-470J, 225 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Fire
- On-Ground
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- William H. Scott
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · June 7, 1997 · 1 hours before
- Airport
- 1C9 · Frazier Lake Airpark, runway 23, 2,500 × 75 ft, grass/turf
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
- 61
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 273 total · 39 in this make and model · 110 as pilot in command · 36 in the last 90 days · 8 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 330° at 15 knots, gusting 3
- Visibility
- 20 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 64 °F, dew point 52 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- SNS, 21 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.
Other investigations on N3343D · 2
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.