- Date
- September 6, 2010, 14:20 local (21:20 UTC)
- Place
- Santa Ynez, CA
- Injuries
- 4 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N4622CCessna A185
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 20, 2010
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Western Pacific Region
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20100906045989A
- Case key
- 77470
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 directional control, likely due to the inadvertent control interference by a passenger. A finding in the accident was the pilot's improper pre flight briefing.
Findings · 4
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
According to the pilot, the start up and run up were normal. After attaining 65 knots during the takeoff roll, the pilot raised the tail and the airplane started to "track hard right" and the left landing gear tire struck a taxiway sign. The taxiway sign broke off and punctured the fuselage skin and struck the horizontal stabilizer. The pilot returned to the airport, and landed without further incident. In the pilot's written statement he indicated that he had not briefed the forward right seat passenger to remain clear of all flight controls, and that he did not retract the right side rudder pedals. He surmised that the right seat passenger inadvertently applied pressure to the right toe brake. The pilot further stated that in the future he will incorporate that into his briefing (to remain clear of the flight controls), and to retract the right side rudder pedals. This event was upgraded to an accident on October 1, 2010, by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) after an inspection discovered structural damage to the left landing gear attach box and the leading edge of the right horizontal stabilizer.
Factual narrative
According to the pilot, the start up and run up were normal. After attaining 65 knots during the takeoff roll, the pilot raised the tail and the airplane started to "track hard right" and the left landing gear tire struck a taxiway sign. The taxiway sign broke off and punctured the fuselage skin and struck the horizontal stabilizer. The pilot returned to the airport, and landed without further incident. In the pilot's written statement he indicated that he had not briefed the forward right seat passenger to remain clear of all flight controls, and that he did not retract the right side rudder pedals. He surmised that the right seat passenger inadvertently applied pressure to the right toe brake. The pilot further stated that in the future he will incorporate that into his briefing (to remain clear of the flight controls), and to retract the right side rudder pedals. This event was upgraded to an accident on October 1, 2010, by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) after an inspection discovered structural damage to the left landing gear attach box and the leading edge of the right horizontal stabilizer.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N4622C
- Reported as
- Cessna A185 (F)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 3131
- Airframe hours
- 2,000
- Engine
- Continental IO-550-16B, 300 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- IZA · Santa Ynez, CA
- Destination
- IZA · Santa Ynez, CA
- Airport
- IZA · Santa Ynez Airport, runway 26, 2,812 × 75 ft, asphalt
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 53
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Commercial, Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- April 8, 2010
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 17,242 total · 29 in this make and model · 119 in the last 90 days · 25 in the last 30 days · 8 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 240° at 9 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 81 °F, dew point 54 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.77 inHg
- Observed at
- IZA
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on November 8, 2010, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 477 KB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.