Pilot Debrief

CESSNA 180 near Cascade, ID — 2012-01-30

Final reportWPR12CA086
Sign in to save
Date
2012-01-30
Location
Cascade, ID, USA
Airport
U70
Aircraft
CESSNA 180
Registration
N3242D
Category
Airplane
Highest injury
None
Fatalities
0
Phase of flight
Landing

Probable cause

The pilot's inadequate compensation for a wind gust during landing, which resulted in a runway excursion. Contributing to the accident was a windsock partially sheltered by trees that provided inaccurate wind information.

NTSB narrative

According to the pilot and a witness, the landing approach was normal, and the airplane touched down in a three-point attitude close to the runway threshold and on the runway centerline. The airplane encountered a wind gust, became airborne again, drifted to the right, and touched down off the runway in an area covered with about 18 inches of snow. The pilot added power to recover, but the airplane’s main wheels sank into the snow, and the airplane nosed over onto its back, sustaining substantial damage to the horizontal and vertical stabilizers and to one wing. The pilot noted that no mechanical malfunction or failure contributed to the accident. The pilot stated that, if he had been aware of any wind gusts prior to landing, he would have conducted a wheel landing instead of a three-point landing. Witnesses familiar with the airport reported that trees partially sheltered the windsock from wind out of the south/southwest, which was the wind direction at the time of the accident, and, therefore, wind from this direction was not always accurately indicated by the windsock.

Analysis

Primary failure mode
Human factors
First missed decision gate
Pilot could have chosen a wheel landing due to wind gusts before touchdown.

NTSB coding

Evidence available

  • 2 docket documents
View NTSB final reportView NTSB docket

Docket documents2

Related mishaps