Summary
On September 21, 2017, a Cessna 180 (N180SA) was involved in an incident near Albuquerque, NM. 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 the takeoff roll in gusting crosswind conditions.
The pilot reported that, during the takeoff roll in the tailwheel-equipped airplane, with the tailwheel raised, a gust of wind from the right lifted the right wing. The pilot over corrected with right aileron control, and the right wing and horizontal stabilizer contacted the runway surface. The airplane subsequently veered off the runway to the left and came to a stop.
A postaccident examination of the airplane revealed substantial damage to the right wing and empennage.
The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
The automated weather observation system located on the airport reported, about 13 minutes before the accident, the wind was from 220° at 10 knots, gusting to 20 knots.
This incident is documented in NTSB report GAA17CA547. AviatorDB cross-references NTSB investigation data with FAA registry records to provide comprehensive safety information for aircraft N180SA.
Accident Details
Probable Cause and Findings
The pilot’s failure to maintain directional control during the takeoff roll in gusting crosswind conditions.
Aircraft Information
Registered Owner (Current)
Analysis
The pilot reported that, during the takeoff roll in the tailwheel-equipped airplane, with the tailwheel raised, a gust of wind from the right lifted the right wing. The pilot over corrected with right aileron control, and the right wing and horizontal stabilizer contacted the runway surface. The airplane subsequently veered off the runway to the left and came to a stop.
A postaccident examination of the airplane revealed substantial damage to the right wing and empennage.
The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
The automated weather observation system located on the airport reported, about 13 minutes before the accident, the wind was from 220° at 10 knots, gusting to 20 knots. About 13 minutes after the accident, the wind was from 200° at 8 knots, gusting to 19 knots. The pilot landed on runway 22.
Data Source
Data provided by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). For more information on this event, visit the NTSB Records Search website. NTSB# GAA17CA547