- Date
- April 16, 2001, 12:09 local (16:09 UTC)
- Place
- Fayetteville, NC
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N252WCessna A185F
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report July 30, 2001
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 20010416007829A
- Case key
- 52085
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 failure to maintain directional control of the airplane after encounter wind gusts during landing roll resulting in the airplane ground looping to the left and the right wing, right horizontal stabilizer, and right elevator contacting the runway and receiving substantial damage.
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 stated that during landing rollout, a gust of wind caused the airplane to turn to the left. Attempts to correct the left turn were unsuccessful and the airplane ground looped to the left 90 degrees and came to rest on the runway. The right wing, horizontal stabilizer, and elevator contacted the runway and received damage.
Factual narrative
On April 16, 2001, about 1209 eastern daylight time, a Cessna A185F, N252W, registered to an individual, ground looped during landing at Fayetteville Regional Airport, Fayetteville, North Carolina, while on a 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed. The airplane received substantial damage and the airline transport-rated pilot and one passenger were not injured. The flight originated from Fayetteville Regional Airport, the same day, about 1200.
The pilot stated that during landing roll a gust of wind caused the airplane to begin turning to the left. Attempts to correct the left turn were unsuccessful. The airplane ground looped to the left about 90 degrees, striking the right wing and horizontal stabilizer on the runway.
Examination of the airplane by FAA inspectors showed the right wing, stabilizer, and elevator received substantial damage.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N252W
- Reported as
- Cessna A185F
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 18503687
- Airframe hours
- 1,888
- Engine
- Teledyne Cont IO-520-D, 300 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Cheryl A. Stearns
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · February 1, 2001 · 70 hours before
- Departed
- FAY · Fayetteville, NC
- Airport
- FAY · Fayetteville Regional, runway 04, 7,204 × 150 ft, asphalt
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 45
- Injuries
- None
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Last flight review
- December 1, 2000
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 15,000 total · 1,000 in this make and model · 6,000 as pilot in command · 180 in the last 90 days · 60 in the last 30 days · 6 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 350° at 10 knots, gusting 19
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 50 °F, dew point 39 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.86 inHg
- Observed at
- FAY, 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.