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ERA13CA216

2013-04-28 · Bethel, Maine, United States · None · 1 aircraft · Status: Completed

Airport 0B1

Current FAA registration · N180VW

Make / Model
CESSNA 180
Year of manufacture
1955 · 58 years old at event
Engine
CONT MOTOR O-470 SERIES (230 hp)
Seats / Engines
4 seats · 1 engine
Last airworthiness date
20000727
ADS-B equipped
Yes — Mode-S A1429C

Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).

Aircraft involved

Probable cause & findings

The pilot’s failure to maintain directional control during landing.

Factual narrative

According to the pilot, he applied left aileron to his tailwheel-equipped airplane on the final approach leg to counteract a left crosswind. The crosswind then ceased, at which point the pilot backed off the aileron input. As the airplane was touching down, it encountered another crosswind and the pilot again applied left aileron to counteract it; however, the left wing and left main landing gear became airborne and the airplane departed the right side of the runway. The pilot then “rode” the right brake and the airplane continued to the right until the left wing came down and the left main landing gear collapsed, resulting in substantial damage to left wing. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or anomalies that could have precluded normal operation. Winds, recorded at a nearby airport about the time of the accident, were variable at 5 knots. According to the pilot, he applied left aileron on the final approach leg to counteract a left crosswind. The crosswind then ceased, at which point the pilot backed off the aileron input. As the tailwheel-equipped airplane touched down, it encountered another crosswind, and the pilot again applied left aileron to counteract it; however, the left wing and left main landing gear became airborne and the airplane departed the right side of the runway. The pilot then “rode” the right brake, and the airplane continued to the right until the left wing came down and the left main landing gear collapsed, resulting in substantial damage to left wing. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or anomalies that could have precluded normal operation. The reported wind at a nearby airport about the time of the accident, was variable at 5 knots. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database Retrieved: 2026-02-12

NTSB Findings

FAA avdata. C = Cause, F = Factor.

  • C Aircraft-Aircraft oper/perf/capability-Performance/control parameters-Directional control-Not attained/maintained - C
  • C Personnel issues-Task performance-Use of equip/info-Aircraft control-Pilot - C

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_2013_ERA13CA216.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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