Cessna 180-B N5112E

Summary

On 16 September 2013 at about 18:26 local time, a Cessna 180-B registered N5112E was involved in an accident near Redmond, Oregon, United States. One person was 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

16 September 2013 at 18:26

Classification

Accident

Location

Redmond, Oregon, United States

Nearest airport

Roberts Field (RDM)

Coordinates

44.2567, -121.1500

Aircraft

Cessna 180-B

Registration

N5112E

Category

Airplane

Year built

1958

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Business

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Prineville → Redmond

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

WPR13LA414

Nobody was injured.

The pilot's inability to counter an unexpected wind gust after touchdown, which resulted in a loss of directional control.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

During the approach to the airport, the pilot/owner of the tailwheel-equipped, high-wing airplane obtained the airport conditions via the automated broadcast, which reported the wind direction as "variable," and the wind speed as 3 knots. Per the air traffic control tower controller's instructions, the pilot entered the left downwind leg of the traffic pattern for runway 10; the airplane was subsequently cleared to land. When the airplane was midfield on the downwind leg, the controller advised the pilot that the wind was from 340 degrees at 4 knots. The pilot used full flaps for the final approach and touchdown, which he reported as "normal." However, just after touchdown, a wind gust lifted the left wing, which the pilot was unable to successfully counter with flight control inputs. The airplane ground looped to the left, which damaged the right wing and horizontal stabilizer. The pilot did not report any preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. Review of the wind data revealed that the wind direction at the wind sensor site, which was 5,000 ft east of the accident location, was approximately from the north but changed about 60 degrees in the minute surrounding the time of the landing. The recorded speeds were between 4 and 7 knots. The sensor was located in a flat open area, whereas multiple buildings were located about 700 ft from either side of the accident landing zone, which could affect wind speed and direction in the landing zone. Wind sensor data processing algorithms combined with the distance and differences in surroundings between the wind sensor and the accident location allowed the possibility that the recorded wind values did not accurately represent the wind values experienced by the airplane on landing.  

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.