On July 22, 2003, a Cessna A185F (registration N60VA) was involved in an aviation accident near Angel Fire, NM. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: the instructor's inadequate supervision which resulted in the pilot's loss of directional control and the subsequent impact with the ditch. Contributing factors include the instructor's inadequate remedial action and the inadvertent ground loop/swerve. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
During a re-familiarization flight, a private pilot conducting a touch-and-go landing on Runway 17 experienced a ground loop after the aircraft departed the runway surface, striking a ditch.
Flight Details
The flight was described by the instructor as a "re-familiarization" flight for the pilot, who also wanted to gain a better understanding of flying in and around the airport. The private pilot was at the controls. The aircraft entered the traffic pattern and set up for a touch-and-go landing on Runway 17.
Accident Sequence
The landing was uneventful, and the pilot slowed the airplane to approximately 10 to 15 knots. When the pilot added power for take-off, the airplane swerved to the left. The left main landing gear departed the left side of the runway. As the pilot applied rudder and aileron control in an attempt to recover, the airplane veered to the right across the runway. When the airplane departed the right side of the runway, the instructor called out "I've got it." The airplane ground-looped to the right and struck a ditch located between the runway and the taxiway.