Summary
On February 11, 2015, a Cessna 185 - E (N185NV) was involved in an incident near Carson City, NV. 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 failure to maintain directional control during landing with a crosswind which resulted in a ground loop.
The pilot reported that immediately after touchdown he felt a very strong crosswind from the left that kicked the tail to the right. He then added full right rudder and full power in an attempt to go around, however, the torque and P-factor, combined with the wind gust pulled the right wing to the ground. The pilot stated that he subsequently reduced power and aborted the takeoff. With the right wing still in contact with the ground, the airplane rolled off of the runway into some soft mud, which resulted in the airplane spinning around onto its nose, followed by the left wing contacting the ground; the airplane came to rest on its nose and left wing. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage, both wings and associated ailerons, and both elevators.
This incident is documented in NTSB report WPR15CA102. AviatorDB cross-references NTSB investigation data with FAA registry records to provide comprehensive safety information for aircraft N185NV.
Accident Details
Probable Cause and Findings
The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during landing with a crosswind which resulted in a ground loop.
Aircraft Information
Registered Owner (Current)
Analysis
The pilot reported that immediately after touchdown he felt a very strong crosswind from the left that kicked the tail to the right. He then added full right rudder and full power in an attempt to go around, however, the torque and P-factor, combined with the wind gust pulled the right wing to the ground. The pilot stated that he subsequently reduced power and aborted the takeoff. With the right wing still in contact with the ground, the airplane rolled off of the runway into some soft mud, which resulted in the airplane spinning around onto its nose, followed by the left wing contacting the ground; the airplane came to rest on its nose and left wing. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage, both wings and associated ailerons, and both elevators. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Data Source
Data provided by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). For more information on this event, visit the NTSB Records Search website. NTSB# WPR15CA102