- Date
- July 26, 2013, 10:45 local (16:45 UTC)
- Place
- Hungry Horse, MT
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N9286CCessna 180J
- Defining event
- Landing-landing roll: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 12, 2013
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Western Pacific Region
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20130726014499A
- Case key
- 87651
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 during the landing roll, which resulted in a ground loop.
Findings · 3
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
The pilot reported that during the landing roll the airplane swerved to the right and thought that she had it under control, when suddenly the airplane hit an uneven area. The airplane started a slow right turn that resulted in the left wing tip impacting the ground. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing and left horizontal stabilizer. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that during the landing roll the airplane swerved to the right and thought that she had it under control, when suddenly the airplane hit an uneven area. The airplane started a slow right turn that resulted in the left wing tip impacting the ground. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing and left horizontal stabilizer. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N9286C
- Reported as
- Cessna 180J
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 31385
- Airframe hours
- 3,167
- Engine
- Continental Motors O-470, 230 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Jeanne McPherson
- Registered owner
- Queen City Flying LLC
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · March 20, 2013 · 47 hours before
- Departed
- 0S1 · Meadow Creek, MT
- Destination
- 8U2 · Hungry Horse, MT
- Airport
- 8U2 · Schafer (USFS), runway 25, 3,200 × 60 ft, grass/turf
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
- 56
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Single-engine sea, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- March 22, 2012
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 5,525 total · 200 in this make and model · 5,400 as pilot in command · 80 in the last 90 days · 40 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 149 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.92 inHg
- Observed at
- GPI, 43 nm away
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on August 28, 2013, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 2.2 MB 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.
Other investigations on N9286C · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.