- Date
- April 16, 2020, 14:30 local (20:30 UTC)
- Place
- Marion, MT
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N53ESCessna 180
- Defining event
- Landing-landing roll: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 21, 2020
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Western Pacific Region
- FAA report
- 20200416002739A
- Case key
- 101175
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 loss of directional control and subsequent improper brake application during the landing roll in gusting wind conditions, which resulted in a nose-over.
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
The pilot reported that, during the landing roll, the airplane encountered a "heavy" wind gust that abruptly pushed the tail left. The pilot applied the brakes to regain directional control; however, as the "speed bled off," the elevator lost its effectiveness. The airplane nosed down, and the propeller then began striking the pavement, followed by the left wing, which sustained substantial damage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The pilot of the tailwheel-equipped airplane reported that, during the landing roll, he encountered a heavy wind gust that abruptly pushed the tail to the left. The pilot applied the brakes to maintain directional control, however, as the speed bled off, the elevator lost its effectiveness and the airplane nosed down and the left wing contacted the surface. The left wing sustained substantial damage. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N53ES
- Reported as
- Cessna 180 (Undesignat)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 30053
- Built
- 1953
- Airframe hours
- 3,278.6
- Engine
- Continental O-470-R25, 230 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Continuous airworthiness · May 27, 2019
- Departed
- 65S · Bonners Ferry, ID
- Destination
- 97MT · Marion, MT
- Airport
- 97MT · Cabin Creek Landing, runway 02, 3,400 × 50 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- ADS-B, Electronic flight bag or handheld device
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
- 61
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- July 3, 2018
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 4-point
- Flight hours
- 648 total · 93 in this make and model · 518 as pilot in command · 14 in the last 90 days · 8 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 55 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.26 inHg
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on June 16, 2020, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 5.8 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.