NTSB CAROL · Event
Event ANC16CA027
Registry · N2423F
FAA Aircraft Registry record.
Make / Model
CESSNA 180H
Year of manufacture
1965 · 51 years old at event
Engine
CONT MOTOR O-470 SERIES (230 hp)
Seats / Engines
6 seats · 1 engine
Last airworthiness date
19651020
ADS-B equipped
Yes — Mode-S A23A34
Registrant of record
SWALLING PAUL C
Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).
Aircraft involved
Probable cause & findings
The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during landing, which resulted in a collision with terrain. Contributing to the accident was the loose dirt and gravel deposited in the center of the runway.
Factual narrative
The pilot stated that he was landing his tailwheel-equipped airplane on a gravel surfaced runway that had recently been graded on both sides, with excess dirt and gravel being deposited in the center of the runway. Upon touchdown the airplane veered sharply to the left, and the right wing impacted the runway's surface. The airplane continued to the left, exited the runway, and the right main tire gripped the paved surface of the adjacent runway causing the airplane to snap back to the right. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing and right aileron. The pilot stated that there were no preaccident mechanical anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot stated that he was landing his tailwheel-equipped airplane on a gravel surfaced runway that had recently been graded on both sides, with excess dirt and gravel being deposited in the center of the runway. Upon touchdown the airplane veered sharply to the left, and the right wing impacted the runway's surface. The airplane continued to the left, exited the runway, and the right main tire gripped the paved surface of the adjacent runway causing the airplane to snap back to the right. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing and right aileron. The pilot stated that there were no preaccident mechanical anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database Retrieved: 2026-02-12
NTSB Findings
Hierarchical cause / factor breakdown from the FAA bulk avdata database. Each finding tagged C (Cause) or F (Factor).
- C Personnel issues-Task performance-Use of equip/info-Aircraft control-Pilot - C
- C Aircraft-Aircraft oper/perf/capability-Performance/control parameters-Directional control-Not attained/maintained - C
- F Environmental issues-Physical environment-Runway/land/takeoff/taxi surface-Soft surface-Effect on equipment - F
Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file
NTSB_2016_ANC16CA027.txt.
Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb.
Full investigation docket on
data.ntsb.gov ↗.
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Related research
What the literature says.
Academic papers and agency reports matching this event's aircraft type. Sourced from NASA NTRS, NTSB Safety Studies, FAA CAMI, AOPA Air Safety Institute, Embry-Riddle Scholarly Commons, arXiv, and the Semantic Scholar academic graph.
- arXiv 2026 · arXiv preprint
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- arXiv 2024 · arXiv preprint
Distilling Tiny and Ultra-fast Deep Neural Networks for Autonomous Navigation on Nano-UAVs
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- arXiv 2024 · arXiv preprint
A flexured-gimbal 3-axis force-torque sensor reveals minimal cross-axis coupling in an insect-sized flapping-wing robot
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- Embry-Riddle Scholarly Commons 2024 · Conference paper
Integrated Propulsion and Control of Rotorcraft
RESEARCH OBJECTIVE OVERVIEW The Eagle Flight Research Center (EFRC) at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (ERAU) is investigating the handling qualities of failure modes of multi-rotors employing di…
- NASA NTRS 2023 · Presentation
Subsonic Single Aft Engine (SUSAN) Flight Deck Experiment: Throttle and Engine Display Concepts
NASA is developing a new hybrid-electric aircraft concept called the SUbsonic Single Aft eNgine (SUSAN) Electrofan. The SUSAN airplane is being designed as a 180-passenger commercial regional jet and …
- Embry-Riddle Scholarly Commons 2023 · Conference paper
The Value of Strong Partnerships to Build a Successful Aviation Maintenance Career Pathway Program for Transitioning Military Service Members
The aerospace industry is competing with other industries for a qualified workforce, and many of those competing industries are investing heavily in creating workforce development pipelines.
Browse the full corpus — academia portal ↗