# NTSB WPR11CA024: Cessna 185, N5011X, Fort Thomas, AZ, October 22, 2010 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report - Date: October 22, 2010, 13:50 local (20:50 UTC) - Place: Fort Thomas, AZ - Coordinates: 33.032775, -109.987503 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.0328&lon=-109.9875&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Landing-landing roll: Runway excursion](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 3 uninjured - Status: Completed, report March 16, 2011 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Western Pacific Region - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration - NTSB case key (mKey): 77659 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=WPR11CA024 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/77659/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=77659 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR11CA024 ## Probable cause The airplane's encounter with a dust devil during landing rollout, which resulted in the pilot not being able to maintain directional control. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Wind: dust devil/whirlwind](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034060): Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Effect on operation (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 185, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034060/cases.md?model=2072802), [All aircraft, 38 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034060/cases.md) - [Performance/control parameters: directional control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Attain/maintain not possible (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 185, 5 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020/cases.md?model=2072802), [All aircraft, 3,958 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Landing-landing roll: Other weather encounter](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/400); cases with it: [Cessna 185, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/400/sequence.md?model=2072802), [All aircraft, 1,127 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/400/sequence.md) - [Landing-landing roll: Runway excursion](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300) (defining event); cases with it: [Cessna 185, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300/sequence.md?model=2072802), [All aircraft, 3,643 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300/sequence.md) - [Landing-landing roll: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Cessna 185, 6 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=2072802), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot stated that after flying for about 10 minutes he made a normal traffic pattern approach and touched down on the runway. The initial rollout was without incident; however, seconds after lowering the tailwheel onto the runway surface, the airplane encountered a sudden gust of wind from the right, which was akin to a dust devil, or strong whirlwind. At this point in time, the pilot had minimal rudder authority. Despite his efforts to maintain directional control, the airplane's left wingtip contacted the runway and the airplane rolled off the runway and into a berm. During the accident sequence the outboard portion of the left wing was bent and the right wing strut was bent. The pilot indicated that he had no warning of the presence of the dust devil swirl of air. No weather reporting services are available at the airport from which the pilot took off and landed. The pilot reported that the windsock had indicated that the wind speed was between 5 and 7 knots. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. ## Factual narrative According to the pilot, after flying for nearly 10 minutes he made a normal traffic pattern approach and touched down on the runway. The pilot stated that the initial rollout was without incident. However, seconds after lowering the tail wheel, the airplane encountered a sudden gust of wind from the right, which was like a dust devil swirl of air. At this point in time, the pilot had minimal rudder authority. Despite his efforts to maintain directional control, the airplane's left wing tip contacted the runway, and the airplane rolled off the runway and into a berm. The right wing tip also impacted the ground. The outboard portion of the left wing was bent, and the right wing strut was bent. The pilot indicated that he had no warning of the presence of the dust devil swirl of air, and he did not specify its speed in his accident report. No weather reporting services are available at the airport from which the pilot took off and landed. The pilot reported that the windsock had indicated the wind speed was between 5 and 7 knots. No mechanical malfunctions were reported with the airplane. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N5011X](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N5011X), registered now, S/N 185-0033 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: CESSNA 185 - Registry model: [Cessna 185](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-185) (registry code 2072802) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental IO-520-D](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-io-520-d) (registry code 17236, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 185-0033 - Airframe hours: 2675 - Engines: CONT MOTOR IO-520-D 300 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, July 1, 2010, 14 hours before - Departed: 5AZ9, Fort Thomas, AZ - Destination: 5AZ9, Fort Thomas, AZ - Airport: 5AZ9, Regeneration, runway 17, 3,000 × 50 ft, dirt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 49; injuries: none; commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine sea, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 3, without waivers/limitations; last flight review August 30, 2010; seat: left; flight hours: 1,107 total, 28 in this make and model, 954 as pilot in command, 17 in the last 90 days, 11 in the last 30 days, 0 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none ## 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 20101022050629A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20101022050629A), Oct 22, 2010: Cessna 185, Fort Thomas, AZ, Substantial damage. N5011X departed 5AZ9, a private airstrip, to take photos of the same airfield. No weather services were provided at this airfield. The wind was observed by the… ## Docket (1 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on November 22, 2010, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=77659. 471 KB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 471 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40338508&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.PDF 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.