NTSB GAA19CA100 — 2018-12-14 · Tacoma, Washington, United States

Current FAA registration · N19EC

Make / Model: CESSNA A185E
Year of manufacture: 1967 · 51 years old at event
Engine: CONT MOTOR IO 520 SERIES (285 hp)
Seats / Engines: 6 seats · 1 engine
Last airworthiness date: 19670929
ADS-B equipped: Yes — Mode-S A16639

Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).

Aircraft involved

N19EC Cessna A185 None

Probable cause & findings

The pilot's loss of directional control during the landing roll and his subsequent overapplication of left rudder, which resulted in the right wing impacting the runway.

Factual narrative

The pilot of the tail-wheel equipped airplane reported that during the landing roll, the airplane veered to the right. The pilot applied left rudder control, and the airplane straightened out, but then began to veer right again. He stated that he then overcorrected with excessive left rudder control and the right wingtip impacted the ground. The right-wing trailing edge spar was substantially damaged. The pilot reported that there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot reported that, during the landing roll, the airplane veered right. He applied left rudder, and the airplane straightened out, but it then began to veer right again. He stated that he then overcorrected with excessive left rudder control and that the right wingtip impacted the runway. The right-wing trailing edge spar was substantially damaged. The pilot reported that there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database Retrieved: 2026-02-12

NTSB Findings

FAA avdata. C = Cause, F = Factor.

C Personnel issues-Task performance-Use of equip/info-Aircraft control-Pilot - C
C Personnel issues-Task performance-Use of equip/info-Use of equip/system-Pilot - C
C Aircraft-Aircraft oper/perf/capability-Performance/control parameters-Directional control-Not attained/maintained - C
C Aircraft-Aircraft systems-Flight control system-Rudder control system-Incorrect use/operation - C
C Aircraft-Aircraft systems-Flight control system-Rudder control system-Incorrect use/operation - C

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_2018_GAA19CA100.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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