Cessna 180J N393B

Summary

On 20 December 2014 at about 19:30 local time, a Cessna 180J registered N393B, operated by Otton Darrin L, was involved in an incident near Nome, Alaska, United States. One person was on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was slightly damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

20 December 2014 at 19:30

Classification

Incident

Location

Nome, Alaska, United States

Nearest airport

Nome Airport (PAOM)

Coordinates

64.5122, -165.4453

Aircraft

Cessna 180J

Registration

N393B

Category

Airplane

Year built

1973

Engines

1

Operator

Otton Darrin L

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Nome → Nome

Aircraft damage

Minor

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ANC15IA006

Nobody was injured.

The disengagement and subsequent binding of the right tailwheel steering cable, which disabled the rudder system.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot reported that, shortly after takeoff, the airplane made an uncommanded hard right turn. He attempted to correct for the right turn with left rudder, but the airplane continued turning right. The pilot then input nearly full left aileron, and the airplane began a gradual left turn. After the pilot returned the ailerons to the neutral position, the airplane again immediately turned right. The pilot corrected with left aileron and then made an emergency landing to the departure runway. During the emergency landing, the airplane veered right, exited the runway, and impacted a snow berm, which resulted in minor damage to the landing gear. Examination of the rudder control system revealed that the right tailwheel steering cable had jumped off its pulley and became bound between the pulley and the pulley bracket, which disabled the rudder system. The pulley's guard pin was in place, and the steering cable had separated about 9 inches from the rudder bellcrank and exhibited features consistent with overload.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.