Loss of Control on Ground: Cessna 180J Skywagon, N52031; accident occurred July 07, 2019 at Okeechobee County Airport (KOBE), Florida

Aviation Accident Final Report - National Transportation Safety Board 

The National Transportation Safety Board did not travel to the scene of this accident.

Additional Participating Entity:
Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Orlando, Florida

Investigation Docket - National Transportation Safety Board:

https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket

Location: Okeechobee, Florida 

Accident Number: ERA19TA223

Date & Time: July 7, 2019, 10:00 Local

Registration: N52031

Aircraft: Cessna 180 

Aircraft Damage: Substantial

Defining Event: Loss of control on ground

Injuries: 2 None

Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General aviation - Personal

Analysis

The tailwheel-equipped airplane touched down on the runway centerline in a 7-knot right quartering tailwind and started to drift left. The pilot corrected with right rudder input, but the airplane started to drift left again. He then applied right brake and rudder input, and the airplane changed direction 30°; however, the left wing and left horizontal stabilizer contacted the runway before the airplane came to a stop. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing, left elevator, and left horizontal stabilizer. The pilot reported that there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions with the airplane.

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 while landing with a quartering tailwind, which resulted in a ground loop.

Findings

Personnel issues Aircraft control - Pilot

Aircraft Directional control - Not attained/maintained

Environmental issues Tailwind - Effect on operation

Factual Information

On July 7, 2019, about 1000 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 180J, N52031, was substantially damaged while landing at Okeechobee County Airport (OBE), Okeechobee, Florida. The airline transport pilot and passenger were not injured. The personal flight was conducted under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed for the flight that departed Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport (FXE), Fort Lauderdale, Florida, about 0900.

The pilot reported that the airplane touched down on the runway 5 centerline and started to drift left. He corrected with right rudder input, but the airplane started to drift left again. He then applied right brake and rudder input, and the airplane changed direction 30°; however, the left wing and left horizontal stabilizer contacted the runway before the airplane came to a stop. The pilot added that there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions with the airplane.

Review of damage photographs provided by the pilot revealed substantial damage to the left wing, left elevator, and left horizontal stabilizer.

The recorded wind at OBE, at 0955, was from 200° at 7 knots.

History of Flight

Landing-landing roll Loss of control on ground (Defining event)

Pilot Information

Certificate: Airline transport; Commercial; Flight engineer; Flight instructor

Age: 81, Male

Airplane Rating(s): Single-engine land; Single-engine sea; Multi-engine land; Multiengine sea

Seat Occupied: Left

Other Aircraft Rating(s): Helicopter 

Restraint Used: Unknown

Instrument Rating(s): Airplane

Second Pilot Present: No

Instructor Rating(s): Airplane multi-engine; Airplane single-engine; Helicopter; Instrument airplane

Toxicology Performed: No

Medical Certification: Class 2 With waivers/limitations

Last FAA Medical Exam: April 18, 2019

Occupational Pilot: No 

Last Flight Review or Equivalent: June 2, 2018

Flight Time: 25179 hours (Total, all aircraft), 5000 hours (Total, this make and model), 20000 hours (Pilot In Command, all aircraft), 10 hours (Last 90 days, all aircraft), 3 hours (Last 30 days, all aircraft), 1 hours (Last 24 hours, all aircraft)

Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information

Aircraft Make: Cessna

Registration: N52031

Model/Series: 180 J

Aircraft Category: Airplane

Year of Manufacture: 1974 

Amateur Built: No

Airworthiness Certificate: Normal 

Serial Number: 18052451

Landing Gear Type: Tailwheel

Seats: 4

Date/Type of Last Inspection: January 10, 2019 Annual

Certified Max Gross Wt.: 2800 lbs

Time Since Last Inspection: 5579 Hrs 

Engines: 1 Reciprocating

Airframe Total Time: 20 Hrs as of last inspection 

Engine Manufacturer: Continental

ELT: C126 installed, not activated 

Engine Model/Series: O-470

Registered Owner:

Rated Power: 230 Horsepower

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: KOBE,33 ft msl

Distance from Accident Site: 0 Nautical Miles

Observation Time: 09:55 Local

Direction from Accident Site: 0°

Lowest Cloud Condition: Scattered / 2000 ft AGL

Visibility 10 miles

Lowest Ceiling: Broken / 8000 ft AGL

Visibility (RVR):

Wind Speed/Gusts: 7 knots / 

Turbulence Type Forecast/Actual: None / None

Wind Direction: 200°

Turbulence Severity Forecast/Actual: N/A / N/A

Altimeter Setting: 30.04 inches Hg

Temperature/Dew Point: 29°C / 24°C

Precipitation and Obscuration: No

Obscuration; No Precipitation

Departure Point: Fort Lauderdale, FL (FXE)

Type of Flight Plan Filed: None

Destination: Okeechobee, FL (OBE) 

Type of Clearance: None

Departure Time: 09:00 Local 

Type of Airspace: 

Airport Information

Airport: Okeechobee County Airport OBE 

Runway Surface Type: Asphalt

Airport Elevation: 33 ft msl 

Runway Surface Condition: Dry

Runway Used: 05 

IFR Approach: None

Runway Length/Width: 5000 ft / 100 ft 

VFR Approach/Landing: Full stop;Traffic pattern

Wreckage and Impact Information

Crew Injuries: 1 None

Aircraft Damage: Substantial

Passenger Injuries: 1 None

Aircraft Fire: None

Ground Injuries: N/A

Aircraft Explosion: None

Total Injuries: 2 None 

Latitude, Longitude: 27.266666,-80.85028(est)