NTSB CAROL · Event
Event WPR20CA124
Registry · N53ES
FAA Aircraft Registry record.
Make / Model
CESSNA 180
Seats / Engines
4 seats · 1 engine
Last airworthiness date
19560428
ADS-B equipped
Yes — Mode-S A6AE89
Registrant of record
SPOONER BRENT
Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).
Aircraft involved
Probable cause & findings
The pilot's loss of directional control and subsequent improper brake application during the landing roll in gusting wind conditions, which resulted in a nose-over.
Factual narrative
The pilot of the tailwheel-equipped airplane reported that, during the landing roll, he encountered a heavy wind gust that abruptly pushed the tail to the left. The pilot applied the brakes to maintain directional control, however, as the speed bled off, the elevator lost its effectiveness and the airplane nosed down and the left wing contacted the surface. The left wing sustained substantial damage. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot reported that, during the landing roll, the airplane encountered a "heavy" wind gust that abruptly pushed the tail left. The pilot applied the brakes to regain directional control; however, as the "speed bled off," the elevator lost its effectiveness. The airplane nosed down, and the propeller then began striking the pavement, followed by the left wing, which 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
Hierarchical cause / factor breakdown from the FAA bulk avdata database. Each finding tagged C (Cause) or 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
- C Personnel issues-Task performance-Use of equip/info-Use of equip/system-Pilot - C
- C Environmental issues-Conditions/weather/phenomena-Wind-Gusts-Effect on operation - C
Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file
NTSB_2020_WPR20CA124.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
A Miniaturized Broadband 1-Bit Coding Reconfigurable Intelligent Surface for NLOS UE Localization and Uplink Communication
In this paper, a broadband 1-bit coding metasurface-based reconfigurable intelligent surface (RIS) is presented. The unit cell of the metasurface consists of a wide dipole modified with interdigital c…
- arXiv 2024 · arXiv preprint
Distilling Tiny and Ultra-fast Deep Neural Networks for Autonomous Navigation on Nano-UAVs
Nano-sized unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) are ideal candidates for flying Internet-of-Things smart sensors to collect information in narrow spaces.
- arXiv 2024 · arXiv preprint
A flexured-gimbal 3-axis force-torque sensor reveals minimal cross-axis coupling in an insect-sized flapping-wing robot
The mechanical complexity of flapping wings, their unsteady aerodynamic flow, and challenge of making measurements at the scale of a sub-gram flapping-wing flying insect robot (FIR) make its behavior …
- 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 ↗