NTSB CAROL · Event
Event WPR20CA204
Registry · N3086W
FAA Aircraft Registry record.
Make / Model
CESSNA A185E
Year of manufacture
1972 · 48 years old at event
Engine
CONT MOTOR IO 520 SERIES (285 hp)
Seats / Engines
6 seats · 1 engine
Last airworthiness date
19910906
ADS-B equipped
Yes — Mode-S A34049
Registrant of record
ALTAIR AIRCRAFT LLC
Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).
Aircraft involved
Probable cause & findings
The pilot's failure to maintain airplane control during landing with a crosswind and excessive braking action, which resulted in the airplane nosing over.
Factual narrative
The pilot of the tailwheel-equipped airplane was landing with a left crosswind. As the airplane was slowing, the left wing dropped and the airplane veered to the left. He attempted to correct the movement with full right aileron control, but the airplane continued to the left. The pilot reported that he then applied the brakes too hard, the airplane nosed over, and came to rest inverted. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the vertical stabilizer. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions 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 Personnel issues-Task performance-Use of equip/info-Aircraft control-Pilot - C
- C Aircraft-Aircraft systems-Landing gear system-Brake-Incorrect use/operation - C
- — Environmental issues-Conditions/weather/phenomena-Wind-Crosswind-Effect on equipment
Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file
NTSB_2020_WPR20CA204.txt.
Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb.
Full investigation docket on
data.ntsb.gov ↗.
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