SEA00LA060

The pilot was landing the tailwheel aircraft in gusty winds that were shifting direction. He touched down on the main gear with a headwind, but as he lowered the tail to the runway surface, the aircraft was hit with a crosswind that caused it to swerve toward the side of the runway. Although the pilot attempted to realign the aircraft with the runway, it departed the left side of the runway and impacted an earthen berm. Upon contacting the berm, both main gear collapsed.

On April 1, 2000, approximately 1600 Pacific standard time, a Cessna 180K, N2635K, experienced a gear collapse during the landing roll at Apex Airpark, Silverdale, Washington. The private pilot and his passenger were not injured, but the aircraft, which was owned and operated by the pilot, sustained substantial damage. The 14 CFR Part 91 personal pleasure flight, which departed Roche Harbor Airport, Roche Harbor, Washington, about 45 minutes earlier, was being operated in visual meteorological conditions. No flight plan had been filed, and the ELT, which was activated by the impact, was turned off at the scene.

According to the pilot, he was landing in strong, variable, gusty winds at a location where he had landed many times before. He touched down on the main gear with a headwind, and kept the tailwheel elevated while he allowed the aircraft to slow. Then, just as he began to lower the tailwheel to the runway, a strong wind gust hit the aircraft from the side and it began to track toward the left edge of the runway. The pilot applied opposite rudder and opposite brake, but he could not keep the aircraft from departing the left side of the runway. Soon after departing the runway surface, both of the main gear impacted an earthen berm and folded back underneath the belly of the aircraft. The pilot said that there was nothing wrong with the aircraft or its systems, but that it just got away from him when the crosswind gust hit the aircraft during the transition from a two-point to a three-point position.