Cessna 185 N1557F

Summary

On 17 January 2020 at about 22:05 local time, a Cessna 185 registered N1557F was involved in an accident near Laytonsville, Maryland, 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

17 January 2020 at 22:05

Classification

Accident

Location

Laytonsville, Maryland, United States

Nearest airport

Davis (W50)

Coordinates

39.2433, -77.1500

Aircraft

Cessna 185

Registration

N1557F

Category

Airplane

Year built

1965

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Laytonsville → Laytonsville

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ERA20CA091

Nobody was injured.

The failure of the tailwheel attachment tube during the takeoff roll, which resulted in a loss of directional control, a runway excursion, and the left main landing gear collapsing.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

After two uneventful circuits in the traffic pattern, the pilot aligned the airplane to the runway for another a touch-and-go landing. As he applied engine power, he used the right rudder to center the airplane on the runway. About 50 ft into the takeoff roll, the airplane veered left. The pilot applied right brake and right rudder to correct; however, the airplane became "momentarily airborne." He reduced the engine power, and as the airplane settled back onto the runway, it veered right. The pilot attempted to stop the airplane by applying the brakes; however, it continued off the right side of the runway and traveled through mud, and subsequently, the left main landing gear collapsed. The left wing, left elevator, and left horizontal stabilizer sustained substantial damage. An examination of the wreckage by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed that the airplane came to rest on the left side of the fuselage. The tailwheel attachment tube was separated from the empennage, but the tailwheel control cables remained attached.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.