On July 30, 1999, a Cessna 180K (registration N4809E) was involved in an aviation accident near Shawano, WI. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's loss of directional control during landing due to a bounce and crosswind correction, which resulted in the aircraft departing the runway and flipping over after hitting a dip in the infield. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
An airplane bounced during landing, departed the runway into grass, and flipped over in a dip. No pre-existing mechanical issues were found.
What happened
The accident occurred while the aircraft was attempting to land. During the final approach and touchdown phase, the airplane experienced a bounce upon contact with the runway surface. The pilot reported that he was managing a slight crosswind condition at the time.
In an effort to correct for the crosswind influence following the bounce, the aircraft departed the paved runway environment. It entered the grassy area adjacent to the runway. As the aircraft moved across this terrain, it slowed rapidly and encountered a dip in the infield. This interaction with the ground contour caused the airplane to flip over.
The investigation
A postaccident examination of the airframe was conducted to determine if mechanical failure contributed to the event. The inspection revealed no preexisting anomalies or defects that would have affected the aircraft's operation prior to the accident sequence.
Probable cause
The pilot's loss of directional control during landing due to a bounce and crosswind correction, which resulted in the aircraft departing the runway and flipping over after hitting a dip in the infield.