- Date
- August 17, 2004, 18:00 local (Aug 18, 2004, 01:00 UTC)
- Place
- Pittsburg, OR
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N52096Cessna 180J
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report October 28, 2004
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 20040818018939A
- Case key
- 59971
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 clearance from an object (pole) during an aborted landing. The pilot's delayed decision to abort the landing and a pole were factors.
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 reported that he first over flew runway 12, which is 1,050 feet in length, and determined that the windsock was indicating calm wind. The approach for landing was made at 65 mph with full flaps extended. The aircraft touched down about 50 to 100 feet from the threshold. The pilot reported that "... it didn't look good for stopping so I initiated a go-around. Rotation was a split second too late and the aircraft contacted some brush at the very end of the strip." The pilot reported that there was something hard in the brush which struck the outboard leading edge of the right side horizontal stabilizer. The pilot continued the flight to his destination and landed without further incident. Inspection of the right side horizontal stabilizer found a circular indentation to the outboard leading edge. Skin wrinkles were noted on the top and bottom surfaces.
Factual narrative
On August 17, 2004, at 1800 Pacific daylight time, a Cessna 180J, N52096, registered to and operated by the pilot as a 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight, collided with a post during the aborted landing from Pittsburg Airport, Pittsburg, Oregon. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed. The aircraft was substantially damaged and the airline transport pilot and his passenger were not injured. The flight originated from Cottonwood, Idaho, about one hour prior to the accident.
In a written statement, the pilot reported that he first over flew runway 12, which is 1,050 feet in length, and determined that the windsock was indicating calm wind. The approach for landing was made at 65 mph with full flaps extended. The aircraft touched down about 50 to 100 feet from the threshold. The pilot reported that "... it didn't look good for stopping so I initiated a go-around. Rotation was a split second too late and the aircraft contacted some brush at the very end of the strip." The pilot reported that there was something hard in the brush which struck the outboard leading edge of the right side horizontal stabilizer. The pilot continued the flight back to Cottonwood, stating that, "a lot of right rudder was required to center the ball and the elevator trim was inoperative." The aircraft landed without further incident at Cottonwood.
Inspection of the right side horizontal stabilizer found a circular indentation to the outboard leading edge. Skin wrinkles were noted on the top and bottom surfaces.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N52096
- Reported as
- Cessna 180J
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 18052497
- Engine
- Continental O-470R-42B, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- John C. Rotter
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- S84 · Cottonwood, ID
- Destination
- Pittsburg Land, OR
- Airport
- NONE · Pittsburg Landing, runway 120
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
- 78
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Commercial, Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Single-engine sea, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3
- Flight hours
- 8,260 total · 1,280 in this make and model · 28 in the last 90 days · 10 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.