Additional Participating Entity:
Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Lubbock, Texas
Investigation Docket - National Transportation Safety Board:
Location: Odessa, Texas
Accident Number: CEN20CA355
Date & Time: August 20, 2020, 09:50 Local
Registration: N710NA
Aircraft: Cessna 182
Aircraft Damage: Destroyed
Defining Event: Loss of control on ground
Injuries: 1 None
Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General aviation - Personal
Analysis
The pilot of a tailwheel-equipped airplane reported that during the landing roll out, the airplane swerved left, so he added control inputs to stop the swerve. The airplane continued to turn 300°, experienced a ground loop, the right main landing gear collapsed, and the propeller struck the ground. A small fire erupted near the fuel selector which the pilot was unable to extinguish. The airplane was destroyed after the fire consumed most of the airplane. There were no reports of any pre-accident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Probable Cause and Findings
The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident to be:
The pilot's failure to maintain directional control of the airplane during landing.
Findings
Aircraft Directional control - Not attained/maintained
Personnel issues Aircraft control - Pilot
Factual Information
History of Flight
Landing-landing roll Loss of control on ground (Defining event)
Post-impact Fire/smoke (post-impact)
Pilot Information
Certificate: Private
Age: 55
Airplane Rating(s): Single-engine land; Single-engine sea
Seat Occupied: Left
Other Aircraft Rating(s): None
Restraint Used: 4-point
Instrument Rating(s): Airplane
Second Pilot Present: No
Instructor Rating(s): None
Toxicology Performed: No
Medical Certification: BasicMed
Last FAA Medical Exam:
Occupational Pilot: No
Last Flight Review or Equivalent: July 31, 2020
Flight Time: 1530 hours (Total, all aircraft), 799 hours (Total, this make and model), 1439 hours (Pilot In Command, all aircraft), 45 hours (Last 90 days, all aircraft), 16 hours (Last 30 days, all aircraft)
Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information
Aircraft Make: Cessna
Registration: N710NA
Model/Series: 182 B
Aircraft Category: Airplane
Year of Manufacture: 1959
Amateur Built: No
Airworthiness Certificate: Normal
Serial Number: 52297
Landing Gear Type: Tailwheel
Seats:
Date/Type of Last Inspection: March 4, 2020 Annual
Certified Max Gross Wt.: 2348 lbs
Time Since Last Inspection:
Engines: 1 Reciprocating
Airframe Total Time: 4681.9 Hrs as of last inspection
Engine Manufacturer: Continental
ELT: C126 installed, not activated
Engine Model/Series: O-470 SERIES
Registered Owner:
Rated Power:
Operator:
On file Operating Certificate(s) Held: None
Meteorological Information and Flight Plan
Conditions at Accident Site: Visual (VMC)
Condition of Light: Day
Observation Facility, Elevation: KODO
Distance from Accident Site:
Observation Time: 16:53 Local
Direction from Accident Site:
Lowest Cloud Condition: Clear
Visibility: 10 miles
Lowest Ceiling:
Visibility (RVR):
Wind Speed/Gusts: 11 knots /
Turbulence Type Forecast/Actual: /
Wind Direction: 170°
Turbulence Severity Forecast/Actual: /
Altimeter Setting: 29.95 inches Hg
Temperature/Dew Point: 32°C / 9°C
Precipitation and Obscuration: No Obscuration; No Precipitation
Departure Point: Gainesville, TX (KGLE)
Type of Flight Plan Filed: None
Destination: Odessa, TX (ODO)
Type of Clearance: VFR
Departure Time: 07:10 Local
Type of Airspace:
Airport Information
Airport: Odessa Airport-Schlemeyer ODO
Runway Surface Type: Asphalt
Airport Elevation: 3003 ft msl
Runway Surface Condition: Dry
Runway Used: 16
IFR Approach: None
Runway Length/Width: 5003 ft / 75 ft
VFR Approach/Landing: Traffic pattern
Wreckage and Impact Information
Crew Injuries: 1 None
Aircraft Damage: Destroyed
Passenger Injuries:
Aircraft Fire: On-ground
Ground Injuries: N/A
Aircraft Explosion: None
Total Injuries: 1 None
Latitude, Longitude: 31.922222,-102.384719(est)
N710NA, also known as Fiona
ReplyDeleteThe pilot had a history of making tail-first landings in the name of “STOL” the aircraft had previously been converted to a tailwheel. Prior to the conversion, the aircraft had collapsed the main gear at a STOL event.
The owner has now purchased a 1953 Cessna 180 that he has groundlooped and a PA-18 Super Cub, that he has damaged the gear on.
Moral of the story if your are landing your aircraft like a un-arrested carrier landing, it might not fail the first time, the second or the third but it will fail eventually.
P.S. collapsing the landing gear on PA-18 super cub is about like blowing up a Toyota Corolla, it can be done but you have to try awful hard.
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