Cessna 180 N561AT

Summary

On 7 September 2013 at about 19:30 local time, a Cessna 180 registered N561AT was involved in an accident near Gallup, New Mexico, 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

7 September 2013 at 19:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Gallup, New Mexico, United States

Nearest airport

Gallup Municipal Airport (GUP)

Coordinates

35.5111, -108.7894

Aircraft

Cessna 180

Registration

N561AT

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Portales → Gallup

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CEN13LA541

Nobody was injured.

The pilot's failure to maintain airplane directional control during the landing roll due to his diverted attention.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot stated that he was landing the tailwheel-equipped airplane and that the landing roll was uneventful until he began retracting the wing flaps at a ground speed comparable to a "brisk walk." He reported that the airplane ground-looped after he inadvertently released left brake pressure while his attention was diverted with the mechanical flap handle. The pilot reported that although the airport's weather radio broadcast indicated a calm wind condition, there was a slight right crosswind during the landing. The pilot stated that the crosswind condition did not contribute to his loss of directional control during landing roll. Rather, the loss of control was due to his failure to follow his standard practice of bringing the airplane to a complete stop before completing any post-landing checklist items (including retracting the wing flaps). The pilot reported no preaccident malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.