Cessna A185F N185FM

Summary

On 22 May 1999 at about 00:09 local time, a Cessna A185F registered N185FM was involved in an accident near Elko, Nevada, United States. 4 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

22 May 1999 at 00:09

Classification

Accident

Location

Elko, Nevada, United States

Nearest airport

Elko Muni-Jc Harris Fld (EKO)

Coordinates

40.9506, -115.7891

Aircraft

Cessna A185F

Registration

N185FM

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Ukiah → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

LAX99LA194

Nobody was injured.

The failure of the pilot to adequately compensate for the variable and gusty winds, and, to maintain directional control of the aircraft while landing.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot first contacted the air traffic control tower about 10 miles southwest of the airport. He was instructed to enter a left traffic pattern for runway 23, and informed that the winds were from 330 degrees at 10 knots. While abeam the threshold on the downwind leg, he was cleared to land, and informed that the winds were now from 340 degrees at 7 knots and the wind velocity had increased to 18 knots. The pilot then requested to enter a right downwind for runway 30, which was approved, and was told that the winds were now variable from 300 to 030 degrees from 10 to 18 knots. While on final approach for runway 30, he was informed that the winds had shifted to 020 degrees at 15 knots. The final wind check before landing indicated that the winds were from 030 degrees at 16 knots. The aircraft touched down and bounced then veered toward the left edge of the runway. The pilot stated that as he attempted to correct for the left drift, the right wing rose up and the aircraft crossed the runway in a right arc on the left main wheel and ground looped at the right edge of the runway. He further reported that approximately 15 miles southwest of Elko he had noticed lightning coming from a cloud 2 to 3 miles northeast of the airport. He also stated that about the same time, an airplane that had just departed reported that they were experiencing major updrafts and downdrafts east of the airport.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.