Summary
On September 26, 2008, a Cessna 180 (N4646A) was involved in an incident near Bluff, UT. All 2 people aboard were uninjured. The aircraft sustained substantial damage.
The National Transportation Safety Board determined the probable cause of this incident to be: The pilot's encounter with the rough, uneven, and eroded condition of the airstrip.
The pilot reported that he landed on the unimproved dirt airstrip and came to a full stop. He began taxiing and started to turn around when he encountered a washed out area. The pilot stated that after proceeding about another 30 feet the left main landing gear collapsed through an eroded section of the dirt airstrip, which was not visible to him. The pilot reported that the landing gear fell about 2 feet followed by the airplane going up on its nose and the propeller striking the ground; the airplane subsequently fell back on its tailwheel. The pilot reported substantial damage to the airplane as a result of the left main landing gear strut being bent and damage to the left gear attachment structure.
This incident is documented in NTSB report SEA08CA211. AviatorDB cross-references NTSB investigation data with FAA registry records to provide comprehensive safety information for aircraft N4646A.
Accident Details
Probable Cause and Findings
The pilot's encounter with the rough, uneven, and eroded condition of the airstrip.
Aircraft Information
Registered Owner (Current)
Analysis
The pilot reported that he landed on the unimproved dirt airstrip and came to a full stop. He began taxiing and started to turn around when he encountered a washed out area. The pilot stated that after proceeding about another 30 feet the left main landing gear collapsed through an eroded section of the dirt airstrip, which was not visible to him. The pilot reported that the landing gear fell about 2 feet followed by the airplane going up on its nose and the propeller striking the ground; the airplane subsequently fell back on its tailwheel. The pilot reported substantial damage to the airplane as a result of the left main landing gear strut being bent and damage to the left gear attachment structure.
Data Source
Data provided by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). For more information on this event, visit the NTSB Records Search website. NTSB# SEA08CA211