Cessna 180E N5180

Summary

On 3 June 2004 at about 04:10 local time, a Cessna 180E registered N5180 was involved in an accident near Kenai, Alaska, United States. 2 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

3 June 2004 at 04:10

Classification

Accident

Location

Kenai, Alaska, United States

Nearest airport

Kenai Municipal Airport (PAEN)

Coordinates

60.5731, -151.2450

Aircraft

Cessna 180E

Registration

N5180

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Kenai → Fairbanks

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ANC04LA060

Nobody was injured.

The pilot's inadequate compensation for a crosswind condition and his failure to maintain directional control which resulted in an inadvertent ground loop and nose over. A factor contributing to the accident was a direct crosswind.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The airline transport certificated pilot was departing in a tailwheel-equipped airplane. The pilot reported he was aware of a left crosswind that was near the limit for his airplane. The pilot indicated that he applied takeoff power and about 350 feet into the takeoff roll, the tailwheel lifted off the runway. The airplane began to veer to the left and the pilot pulled the engine power to idle and attempted to correct the left turn by application of brakes and flight controls. The airplane ground looped to the left, and the right wing struck the runway. The airplane then nosed over and received damage to the propeller, right wing, the vertical stabilizer, and the rudder. The wind conditions consisted of a direct left crosswind at 14 knots, with gusts to 21 knots.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.