NTSB CAROL · Event
Event WPR20CA265
Registry · N9917N
FAA Aircraft Registry record.
Make / Model
CESSNA 180J
Year of manufacture
1975 · 45 years old at event
Engine
CONT MOTOR O-470 SERIES (230 hp)
Seats / Engines
6 seats · 1 engine
Last airworthiness date
19750320
ADS-B equipped
Yes — Mode-S ADD9B4
Registrant of record
THUNDERBIRD LLC
Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).
Aircraft involved
Probable cause & findings
The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during takeoff in crosswind conditions, which resulted in a ground loop.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that during the takeoff roll in the tailwheel equipped airplane, with a 10 knot direct crosswind, after the tail lifted and the airplane was tracking on the runway centerline, he initiated a cross control to compensate for the crosswind. The control pressure was excessive and the airplane banked into the wind and started to deviate to the left. The pilot attempted corrective action however the airplane rotated around and ground looped. The right side main landing gear collapsed and 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 during the takeoff roll in the tailwheel equipped airplane, with a 10 knot direct crosswind, after the tail lifted and the airplane was tracking on the runway centerline, he initiated a cross control to compensate for the crosswind. The control pressure was excessive and the airplane banked into the wind and started to deviate to the left. The pilot attempted corrective action however the airplane rotated around and ground looped. The right side main landing gear collapsed and the right wing was substantially damaged. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical anomalies 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 oper/perf/capability-Performance/control parameters-Directional control-Not attained/maintained - C
- — Environmental issues-Conditions/weather/phenomena-Wind-Crosswind-Effect on operation
Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file
NTSB_2020_WPR20CA265.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 ↗