N2253C – CESSNA 180 – 2016-02-14 NTSB Accident Report

On February 14, 2016, a Cessna 180 (N2253C) was involved in an incident near Sleetmute, AK. 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 decision to make contact with an unsuitable landing surface, resulting in a nose over.

The pilot was on a personal cross-country flight to a remote, off-airport site, in a tailwheel-equipped airplane. In an effort to assess the suitability of the selected landing area, the pilot stated that he executed a maneuver commonly referred to as "dragging the runway." He said he made a low pass with the intention of the landing gear contacting the snow while keeping the weight of the airplane off the wheels. He said as the main landing gear wheels touched down atop the frozen layer of crusty snow, the wheels broke through, and the airplane subsequently nosed over, sustaining substantial damage to the left wing and vertical stabilizer.

The pilot stated there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.

This incident is documented in NTSB report ANC16CA014. AviatorDB cross-references NTSB investigation data with FAA registry records to provide comprehensive safety information for aircraft N2253C.