MIA98LA255

NTSB accident investigation · Cessna A185F · Elizabethton, TN · September 30, 1998

Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal report
Date
September 30, 1998, 13:00 local (17:00 UTC)
Place
Elizabethton, TN
Injuries
1 uninjured
Damage
Substantial damage
Phase of flight
Landing
Aircraft
N1236FCessna A185F
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Day
Status
Completed · report March 30, 2000
Report
Approved by Office Director
FAA report
19980930027269A
Case key
44055

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 NTSB’s determination of the probable cause, and any contributing factors.

The failure of the pilot to maintain directional control during the landing roll.

Analysis

The pilot performed a go-around from the first wheel landing after the airplane bounced. He then reentered the traffic pattern to land on runway 24. The wind was from 280 degrees at 5 knots. The airplane was landed in a three-point attitude and began to veer to the right. He applied full left rudder and power but the left wing of the airplane contacted the runway. The pilot reduced power but the airplane departed the right side of the runway and nosed over coming to rest inverted on grass. He further stated that there was no flight control or engine failure or malfunction.

Factual narrative

On September 30, 1998, about 1300 eastern daylight time, a Cessna A185F, N1236F, registered to Moody Bible Institute of Chicago, dba Moody Aviation, nosed over on landing at the Elizabethton Municipal Airport, Elizabethton, Tennessee. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed for the 14 CFR Part 91 instructional flight. The airplane was substantially damaged and the private-rated pilot, the sole occupant, was not injured. The flight originated about 15 minutes earlier.

The pilot stated that after takeoff the flight remained in the traffic pattern for runway 24, and with the wind from 280 degrees at 5 knots, he performed a go-around after the first wheel landing because the airplane bounced. He reentered the pattern and after a three-point touchdown with full flaps, the airplane began to veer to the right. He applied full left rudder and power to go around, but the left wing contacted the runway. The airplane then nosed over but not before he reduced the throttle to idle. The airplane came to rest inverted on grass off the right side of the runway. He further stated that there was no flight control or powerplant malfunction. His total number of solo and dual landings in the make and model airplane was 15 and 119, respectively.

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.

Nose overLanding - roll
Directional control - not maintainedPilot in commandCause

Aircraft

Registration
N1236F
Reported as
Cessna A185F
Category
Airplane
Serial number
185-02796
Airframe hours
6,644
Engine
Continental IO-520-D, 300 horsepower, reciprocating
Damage
Substantial damage
Flight
Instructional · Part 91
Registered owner
Moody Bible Inst. Of Chicago
Airworthiness certificate
Standard, Normal
Last inspection
100 hour · August 12, 1998 · 65 hours before
Departed
0A9
Airport
0A9 · Elizabethton Municipal, runway 24, 4,000 × 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
26
Certificate
Private
Airplane ratings
Single-engine land
Instrument ratings
Airplane
Medical
Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
Seat
Left
Flight hours
208 total · 28 in this make and model · 104 as pilot in command · 30 in the last 90 days · 27 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC) · Day
Wind
280° at 5 knots
Visibility
10 statute miles
Lowest ceiling
None
Temperature
81 °F, dew point 64 °F
Altimeter
29.00 inHg
Observed at
0A9

FAA reports on this event · 1

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