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Aviation safety reports, made easier to study

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NTSB Report

January 30, 2012 · Cessna 180 · N3242D

Cascade, ID

Overview

Report Status
Final with probable cause
Event Type
Accident
Date
January 30, 2012
Injury Outcomes
No injuries (1 uninjured)
Location
Cascade, ID
Aircraft
Cessna 180
Tail Number
N3242D
Injuries
None
Aircraft Damage
Substantial
NTSB Number
WPR12CA086

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.

NTSB 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.

Full Narrative

The private pilot departed his home airport in his tailwheel equipped high-wing airplane. The destination airport was equipped with a single paved runway that measured 4,300 feet by 60 feet. According to the pilot and a ground witness, the runway was plowed full width, but there was about 1/2-inch of snow on the runway, and about 18 inches of snow on the terrain adjacent to the runway. Also, according to the pilot and the witness, the landing approach to runway 30 was normal, and the airplane touched down in a three-point attitude close to the threshold, and on the runway centerline. The airplane became airborne again, drifted to the right, and touched down off the runway, in the deeper snow. The pilot added power to recover, but the airplane main wheels sank into the snow, and the airplane nosed over onto its back. The pilot was uninjured, but the airplane sustained 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 the airplane was upset by a wind gust, and that if he had been aware of any gusts prior to landing, he would have conducted a wheel landing instead of a three-point landing. The Federal Aviation Administration Airplane Flying Handbook (FAA-H-8083-3) recommended the use of wheel landings in "turbulence or in crosswinds." The only airport windsock was located about midfield, on the southwest side of the runway. Based on their windsock observations, the pilot and ground witness estimated that the wind at the time was about 6 to 8 knots, out of the south or southwest. Witnesses familiar with the airport reported that the windsock generally provided reliable indications of the wind conditions, but trees partially sheltered the windsock from south/southwest winds, and therefore those winds were not always accurately indicated by the windsock.

Flight

Event TypeAccident
Event Time09:29 PST
Nearest AirportCASCADE (0nm)
Runway30
Runway Length4300 ft
Runway Width60 ft
Flight Plan FiledNone
Flight Plan ActivatedNo
Aircraft FireNo
Aircraft ExplosionNo

Aircraft

AircraftCessna 180
Tail NumberN3242D
Aircraft CategoryAir
DamageSubstantial
Operating RulePart 91
Engines1
Engine TypeReciprocating
Engine DetailsCont Motor · O-470 SERIES · Reciprocating · 230
Seats4

People & Injuries

Injury SummaryNo injuries (1 uninjured)
Fatal0
Serious0
Minor0
Uninjured1
Total1
Crew 1Age 80 · Third Class · None

Conditions

ConditionsVMC
LightDaylight
Wind6 kt, gusting 999 kt
Visibility10 sm
CeilingNone
Temperature / Dew Point34 C / 0 C
Altimeter0
Observation Time16:30
Weather SourcePILO

Appendix: Source Data