- Date
- February 11, 2015, 15:10 local (23:10 UTC)
- Place
- Carson City, NV
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N185NVCessna 185 - E
- Defining event
- Landing-landing roll: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report April 21, 2015
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Western Pacific Region
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20150211001269A
- Case key
- 90716
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 landing with a crosswind 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 immediately after touchdown he felt a very strong crosswind from the left that kicked the tail to the right. He then added full right rudder and full power in an attempt to go around, however, the torque and P-factor, combined with the wind gust pulled the right wing to the ground. The pilot stated that he subsequently reduced power and aborted the takeoff. With the right wing still in contact with the ground, the airplane rolled off of the runway into some soft mud, which resulted in the airplane spinning around onto its nose, followed by the left wing contacting the ground; the airplane came to rest on its nose and left wing. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage, both wings and associated ailerons, and both elevators. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that immediately after touchdown he felt a very strong crosswind from the left that kicked the tail to the right. He then added full right rudder and full power in an attempt to go around, however, the torque and P-factor, combined with the wind gust pulled the right wing to the ground. The pilot stated that he subsequently reduced power and aborted the takeoff. With the right wing still in contact with the ground, the airplane rolled off of the runway into some soft mud, which resulted in the airplane spinning around onto its nose, followed by the left wing contacting the ground; the airplane came to rest on its nose and left wing. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage, both wings and associated ailerons, and both elevators. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N185NV
- Reported as
- Cessna 185 - E (E)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 185-0984
- Built
- 1965
- Engines
- Continental Motor IO-550-D15B, 300 horsepower, reciprocatingContinental Motor IO-550-D15B, 300 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Andrew T Hoffman
- Registered owner
- Andrew T Hoffman
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · June 30, 2014 · 11 hours before
- Departed
- A34 · Dayton, NV
- Destination
- CXP · Carson City, CA
- Airport
- CXP · Carson City Airport, runway 09, 6,101 × 75 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- Onboard weather, Stall warning system, ADS-B, Electronic multifunction display, Electronic primary flight display
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
- 50
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- July 4, 2014
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 4-point
- Flight hours
- 628 total · 85 in this make and model · 628 as pilot in command · 14 in the last 90 days · 13 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 90° at 9 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 54 °F, dew point 32 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.29 inHg
- Observed at
- CXP
Docket · 3
The files NTSB released with the investigation on April 13, 2015, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 6.7 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.