# NTSB SEA95LA218: Cessna 180, N11JW, Pray, MT, September 15, 1995 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: September 15, 1995, 13:15 local (19:15 UTC) - Place: Pray, MT - Coordinates: 45.309974, -110.760467 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=45.3100&lon=-110.7605&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report April 18, 1996 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 42249 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=SEA95LA218 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/42249/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/SEA95LA218 ## Probable cause THE LOSS OF DIRECTIONAL CONTROL DUE TO THE LOSS OF RIGHT TAILWHEEL STEERING. FACTORS IN THE ACCIDENT WERE: A LEFT QUARTERING CROSSWIND AND THE SLOPED SIDE OF THE ROAD. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of control - on ground/water, landing - roll - landing gear,steering system - failure,partial (cause) - directional control - not possible, pilot in command (cause) - weather condition - crosswind (contributing factor) - terrain condition - roadway/highway (contributing factor) - Gear collapsed, landing - roll - terrain condition - rock(s)/boulder(s) (contributing factor) - landing gear,main gear - overload ## Analysis THE PILOT LINED UP ON THE 6,000-FOOT-LONG, 30-FOOT-WIDE, MACADAM ROAD FOR LANDING AFTER BEING ADVISED BY RADIO OF CALM WINDS. UPON TOUCHDOWN THE TAILWHEEL BEGAN TO SHIMMY AND THE AIRCRAFT COMMENCED A RIGHT DRIFT WHICH WAS CORRECTED WITH LEFT RUDDER/STEERING. ONCE ESTABLISHED ON CENTERLINE THE PILOT APPLIED RIGHT RUDDER/STEERING WITHOUT EFFECT. THE AIRCRAFT ROLLED OFF THE LEFT SIDE OF THE SLOPED ROAD DURING WHICH THE LEFT MAIN LANDING GEAR IMPACTED A ROCK. THE LEFT GEAR SUBSEQUENTLY COLLAPSED. THE PILOT REPORTED OBSERVING A WINDSOCK INDICATION OF A LEFT QUARTERING TAILWIND IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING THE LANDING. POSTCRASH EXAMINATION REVEALED A MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION WITHIN THE TAILWHEEL STEERING MECHANISM PREVENTING RIGHT TAILWHEEL STEERING. ## Factual narrative On September 15, 1995, approximately 1315 hours mountain daylight time, a Cessna 180, N11JW, being flown by an airline transport pilot, was substantially damaged when the left main landing gear collapsed following a loss of control on landing roll on a paved road near Pray, Montana. The pilot and her husband were unin- jured. Visual meteorological conditions existed and no flight plan had been filed. The flight, which was personal, was to have been operated under 14CFR91, and originated from Nampa, Idaho, approximately 1030. The pilot reported that she lined up on the 6,000 foot long by 30 foot wide macadam road for landing headed approximately 150 degrees after receiving a radio call of calm winds and "touched down harder than normal and the tailwheel started to shimmy immediately." She reported that the aircraft began a right drift on rollout which she corrected with left rudder/tailwheel steering and that once back on the centerline she applied right rudder/tailwheel steering to track on the centerline but perceived no effect. The aircraft continued its left drift and the left wheel encountered an approximate three foot downslope area at the edge of the road and began sliding downhill. The pilot reported that "while the aircraft was sliding, it struck a rock causing the left gear to fold" (refer to attached NTSB Form 6120.1/2). The pilot reported that subsequent to the landing she observed a windsock indicating a right quartering crosswind of 10-15 knots from the north and that a pilot who landed immediately beforehand reported the winds as changing direction drastically. Post crash examination of the aircraft's tailwheel steering system by an FAA inspector revealed that the steering mechanism functioned normally for commanded left turns but that mechanical wearing and a bent compression spring prevented commanded right turns (refer to attachment). ## Aircraft - Registration: N11JW (not matched to a registry record) - Reported make and model: CESSNA 180 - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 32278 - Airframe hours: 3069 - Engines: CONTINENTAL O-470K 230 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: Mathias, Linda, B. - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, March 21, 1995, 76 hours before - Departed: S67, NAMPA, ID - Destination: MT ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 54; flight instructor, airline transport; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: left; flight hours: 3,471 total, 558 in this make and model, 3,281 as pilot in command, 54 in the last 90 days, 24 in the last 30 days, 3 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 260° at 17 knots - Visibility: 30 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 16,000 ft broken - Temperature: 79 °F, dew point 27 °F - Altimeter: 30.00 inHg - Observed at: LVM, 23 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 (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 19950915029789A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19950915029789A), Sep 15, 1995: Cessna 180, Pray, MT, Substantial damage. Landed in quartering tailwind. Lost directional control folded gear on rock off side road. Tailwheel defect. From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.