- Date
- May 6, 2021, 14:10 local (20:10 UTC)
- Place
- Buffalo, WY
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N7770KCessna 180J
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class
- Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office
- Western Pacific Region
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20210506011149A
- Case key
- 103754
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 takeoff roll, which resulted in a ground loop and collision with terrain.
Findings · 2
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 of the tailwheel-equipped airplane reported that, about 300 ft into the takeoff roll, the tail wheel came off the ground and the airplane immediately veer left towards a deep ravine. The pilot reduced power to idle and applied full right rudder and right aileron control, which returned the airplane to a runway heading, but the airplane was now on the left side of the runway. About 900 ft into the takeoff roll the airplane then rapidly turned right and crossed the runway at a 30° angle. The pilot applied full left rudder and left aileron control to counteract the turn, but the airplane departed the runway edge and ground looped to the right substantially damaging the left wing and left horizontal stabilizer. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N7770K
- Reported as
- Cessna 180J
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 18052726
- Built
- 1976
- Airframe hours
- 2,048
- Engine
- Continental Motors O-470-S, 230 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Air Craft LLC
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · December 13, 2020 · 65 hours before
- Departed
- SHR · Sheridan, WY
- Destination
- Same as departure
- Airport
- BYG · Johnson County, runway 13/31, 6,143 × 75 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- Stall warning system
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
- 70
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- February 1, 2021
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 1,482 total · 45 in this make and model · 1,482 as pilot in command · 32 in the last 90 days · 5 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 64 °F, dew point 36 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.21 inHg
- Observed at
- KBYG
- METAR
- METAR KBYG 061953Z AUTO VRB03KT 10SM CLR 18/02 A3021 RMK AO2 SLP209 T01780022=
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 5, 2021, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1.9 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 N7770K · 2
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.