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WPR20CA085

2020-01-27 · Eloy, Arizona, United States · None · 1 aircraft · Status: Completed

Airport E60

Current FAA registration · N9729B

Make / Model
CESSNA 180A
Year of manufacture
1957 · 63 years old at event
Engine
CONT MOTOR O-470 SERIES (230 hp)
Seats / Engines
4 seats · 1 engine
Last airworthiness date
19570810
ADS-B equipped
Yes — Mode-S AD8EA8

Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).

Aircraft involved

Probable cause & findings

The pilot's failure to maintain directional control while landing in crosswind conditions, which resulted in a ground-loop.

Factual narrative

The pilot reported that while practicing landings in the tail-wheel equipped airplane, he completed one go-around and two landings without incident. On his next landing attempt, the airplane encountered a left crosswind during the landing flare. Despite his attempts to maintain directional control, the airplane ground looped and veered off the left side of the runway. The right wing was substantially damaged. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical anomalies with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot reported that, while practicing landings, he completed one go-around and two landings without incident. On his next landing attempt, the airplane encountered a left crosswind during the landing flare. Despite his attempts to maintain directional control, the airplane ground looped and veered off the left side of the runway. The right wing sustained substantial damage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident 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 Aircraft-Aircraft oper/perf/capability-Performance/control parameters-Directional control-Not attained/maintained - C
  • C Environmental issues-Conditions/weather/phenomena-Wind-Crosswind-Effect on operation - C

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_2020_WPR20CA085.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

Search this event elsewhere

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Related research

Matched on aircraft type or causal vocabulary (icing, go-around). All research papers