Cessna 180 N40LT

Summary

On 14 April 2006 at about 19:00 local time, a Cessna 180 registered N40LT, operated by Claren Nilsson, was involved in an accident near Klamath Falls, Oregon, United States. One person was 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

14 April 2006 at 19:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Klamath Falls, Oregon, United States

Nearest airport

Klamath Falls International (KLMT)

Coordinates

42.1561, -121.7214

Aircraft

Cessna 180

Registration

N40LT

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Claren Nilsson

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Klamath Falls → Klamath Falls

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

SEA06LA076

Nobody was injured.

The pilot's failure to maintain directional control of the tailwheel-equipped aircraft during the landing roll. Factors include gusty crosswinds.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

After her initial departure, the pilot flew about 10 minutes south to another airport, where she executed about 10 touch-and-go landings. When the winds started to become variable and gusty at this location, the pilot returned to her initial departure point where she was cleared for a full-stop landing on runway 32. Although the touchdown was uneventful, according to the pilot, during the landing roll a crosswind gust lifted the left wing, and the aircraft began to veer from the runway heading. During her attempt to realign the aircraft with the runway, it turned sharply to the left, and the right wing and right elevator came in contact with the runway surface. The pilot said there did not appear to be any problems with the aircraft's flight controls or tailwheel steering system. After she taxied to parking, the pilot talked to an individual who had landed just before her, and that individual stated that he had also encountered gusty crosswinds. The two pilots estimated the gusts were as high as 15 knots.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.