NTSB MKC85LA174 — 1985-07-29 · AMES, Iowa, United States

Current FAA registration · N3161C

Make / Model: CESSNA 180
Year of manufacture: 1954 · 31 years old at event
Engine: CONT MOTOR O-470 SERIES (230 hp)
Seats / Engines: 4 seats · 1 engine
Last airworthiness date: 19560830
ADS-B equipped: Yes — Mode-S A35F99

Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).

Aircraft involved

N3161C Cessna 180 None

Factual narrative

THE DESIRED RWY (19) WAS CLOSED AT THE DESTINATION, SO THE PLT LANDED ON RWY 13 WITH A 15 KT X-WIND. THE X-WIND WAS WITHIN THE CAPABILITY OF THE ACFT & THE PLT. AFTER TOUCHDOWN, THE PLT USED FULL RUDDER & BRAKE TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL. HOWEVER, HE REPORTED THAT THE ACFT ENCOUNTERED A GUST & SUBSEQUENTLY SWERVED TO THE RIGHT. AFTER DEPARTING THE RWY, THE LEFT WING & HORIZONTAL STABILIZER CONTACTED THE GROUND & WERE DAMAGED. AN EXAM REVEALED THE TAILWHEEL LATCH SPRING, SCOTT PN 3222, HAD FAILED. WITH THIS PROBLEM, THE TAILWHEEL WOULD STEER THE ACFT TO THE RIGHT, BUT THERE WAS NO STEERING CAPABILITY TO THE LEFT. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_1985_MKC85LA174.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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