N77NP

On October 4, 2003, at 1100 central daylight time, a Cessna 180K, N77NP, registered to and operated by the private pilot, ground looped during landing at the George M. Bryan Airport in Starkville, Mississippi. The personal flight was operated under the provisions of Title 14 CFR Part 91, and visual flight rules. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed. The pilot and four passengers were not injured and the airplane sustained substantial damage. The flight originated from Madison, Mississippi, on October 4, 2003 at 1015.

Upon arriving at the destination airport, the pilot established a visual approach to land on runway 18. The reported prevailing winds were 260 degrees at 4 knots. According to the pilot, while landing on runway 18, the right wing came up and the airplane ground looped. The pilot recalled that the left wing and stabilizer struck the ground as the airplane gyrated during the ground loop. A visual examination of the airplane revealed damage to both components.

The pilot did not report a mechanical problem with the airplane during the attempted landing. According to the pilot, he had accumulated about 250 flight hours in the Cessna 180K airplane. According to the Cessna 180K Pilot Operating Handbook, the demonstrated crosswind component is 12 knots.