Cessna 180D N180XV

Summary

On 31 March 2016 at about 17:45 local time, a Cessna 180D registered N180XV was involved in an accident near Shiprock, New Mexico, United States. 2 people were on board and one was seriously injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

31 March 2016 at 17:45

Classification

Accident

Location

Shiprock, New Mexico, United States

Nearest airport

Shiprock Airstrip (5V5)

Coordinates

36.6983, -108.7006

Aircraft

Cessna 180D

Registration

N180XV

Category

Airplane

Year built

1961

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Durango → Shiprock

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CEN16LA138

1 person was seriously injured.

The pilot's failure to maintain directional control after encountering a sudden change in wind direction during the landing roll.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The airline transport pilot was conducting a personal cross-country flight. The pilot reported that, during the landing roll, shortly after he had completed a three-point landing, a left quartering tailwind gust caused the tailwheel-equipped airplane to veer to the right. The pilot was unable to regain directional control before the airplane departed the right side of the runway into a drainage ditch. The right main landing gear collapsed during the runway excursion, and the airplane subsequently nosed over. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot stated that, about 25 minutes before landing, he obtained the current weather conditions from the closest aviation weather station, which was located about 23 miles from the destination airport, and that the reported surface wind was from 200 degrees at 4 knots. A postaccident review of available weather data established that the surface wind was likely variable in direction at 5 knots. Although the surface wind was considered light and variable, a sudden change in wind direction shortly after touchdown likely contributed to the pilot's loss of directional control during the landing roll.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.