Cessna A185F near Mexican Hat, UT — 2008-05-03

Probable cause

The pilot's failure to maintain directional control.

NTSB narrative

The pilot took off from a dirt road, and the right main gear encountered a rut. The pilot wasn't sure if this damaged the gear leg or tire assembly. He continued his flight to a dirt strip. He flew over the field twice to assess the winds and the condition of the field. There was no wind indicator at the field and he elected to land uphill on a westerly heading. He experienced significant downdrafts on short final, and added power to compensate. He bounced the landing, which he reported was recoverable with power. The airplane then bounced once or twice slightly, and veered sharply to the left of the runway. It departed the runway, impacted trees and bushes, and nosed over, causing substantial damage to the wings, horizontal stabilizer, and vertical stabilizer. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures of the airplane.

NTSB coding

• Loss of control on ground · Landing-landing roll

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