Accident Details
Probable Cause and Findings
The pilot's inadequate compensation for the crosswind condition and his subsequent failure to maintain directional control during landing.
Aircraft Information
Registered Owner (Current)
Analysis
On May 18, 2000, at 1400 hours Pacific daylight time, a Cessna 185, N9955X, ground looped while landing on runway 25 at the Borrego Valley Airport, Borrego Springs, California. During the ground loop, the right main landing gear collapsed and the right wing was bent. The airplane, owned and operated by the pilot under 14 CFR Part 91, sustained substantial damage. The commercial pilot and passenger were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions existed for the personal flight and a flight plan was not filed. The flight originated from the Ramona, California, airport at 1315 as a cross-country flight to Borrego Springs.
According to the airport manager, the wind was reported to be from the southwest at 8 to 10 knots, with higher gusts.
The pilot stated that on the landing rollout he encountered a gusting, quartering tailwind, which lifted the left wing and caused the airplane to veer to the right side of the runway. The airplane then ground looped into the soft sand beside the runway. The pilot said there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures of the airplane.
Data Source
Data provided by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). For more information on this event, visit the NTSB Records Search website. NTSB# LAX00LA198