NTSB WPR26LA017 — 2025-10-10 · Phoenix, Arizona, United States

Current FAA registration · N5806T

Make / Model: CESSNA 185C
Year of manufacture: 1964 · 61 years old at event
Engine: CONT MOTOR I0-470 SERIES (260 hp)
Seats / Engines: 6 seats · 1 engine
ADS-B equipped: Yes — Mode-S A77924

Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).

Aircraft involved

N5806T Cessna 185C None

Probable cause & findings

The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during the landing roll with a left crosswind.

Factual narrative

The pilot of the tailwheel equipped airplane reported that, while practicing touch-and-go landings, the airplane veered left during the landing roll. The pilot attempted to correct with right rudder and left aileron input; however, the airplane ground looped to the left and nosed over, which resulted in substantial damage to the left wing and vertical stabilizer. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunction or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. At the time of the accident, the pilot was landing the airplane on runway 7L with wind from 360° at 13 knots. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database Retrieved: 2026-02-12

NTSB Findings

FAA avdata. C = Cause, F = Factor.

— Personnel issues-Task performance-Use of equip/info-Aircraft control-Pilot
— Aircraft-Aircraft oper/perf/capability-Performance/control parameters-Directional control-Not attained/maintained
— Environmental issues-Conditions/weather/phenomena-Wind-Crosswind-Effect on operation

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_2025_WPR26LA017.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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Related research

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