Cessna 185F N6535E

Summary

On 30 April 2000 at about 12:45 local time, a Cessna 185F registered N6535E was involved in an accident near Pottstown, Pennsylvania, United States. 2 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

30 April 2000 at 12:45

Classification

Accident

Location

Pottstown, Pennsylvania, United States

Nearest airport

Pottstown Limerick (PTW)

Coordinates

40.2497, -75.6409

Aircraft

Cessna 185F

Registration

N6535E

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Instructional

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

New Hanover → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

NYC00LA126

Nobody was injured.

The second pilot's inadequate compensation for wind conditions and the inadequate supervision of the flight instructor. Factors related to the accident were the crosswind and gusting wind conditions.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

The certificated flight instructor (CFI) and pilot were conducting a training flight. During landing, the airplane bounced once on the main landing gear and began a rollout. Control positions of left rudder, right aileron, and elevator transitioning to full up, were inputted for the crosswind condition. After about 500-600 feet into the rollout, the airplane began to swerve to the right. The pilot counteracted the swerve with the remaining amount of left rudder and then began 'feeding in left brake.' The airplane had not changed its heading of more than 30 degrees, when the CFI commanded the pilot to 'get off the brakes.' Both of the pilots applied full left rudder and the airplane departed the right side of the runway and accelerated into a ground loop. Federal Aviation Administration publication FAA-H-8083-3, Airplane Flying Handbook stated, 'If the airplane touches down while drifting or in a crab, the pilot should apply aileron toward the high wing and stop the swerve with the rudder. Brakes should be used to correct for turns or swerves only when the rudder is inadequate. The pilot must exercise caution when applying corrective brake action because it is very easy to overcontrol and aggravate the situation.' The pilot reported 4 hours of total flight experience in make and model. The winds reported at the airport, at 0854, were 320 degrees at 13 knots, gusting to 19 knots.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.