SEA04CA170

NTSB accident investigation · Cessna 180J · Pittsburg, OR · August 18, 2004

Accident · No injuriesData collectionFinal report
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.

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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.

On ground/water collision with objectLanding - aborted
Object - fence postFactor
Clearance - not maintainedPilot in commandCause
Aborted landing - delayedPilot in commandFactor

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.