On November 22, 2005, a Cessna 180 (registration N108EE) was involved in an aviation accident near Lopez, WA. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The airline transport pilot, who was receiving recurrent training, failed to maintain aircraft control, which was followed by an inadvertent ground loop. A contributing factor was the inadequate supervision by the flight instructor. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
During tail wheel landing instruction, a pilot released flight controls as in floatplane landings, causing the airplane to ground loop and damage the right wing.
Accident
An airline transport pilot was receiving instruction in tail wheel landings in her personal airplane. The flight instructor reported that this was the first tail wheel landing for the day and the second day of their recurrent training. The student pilot stated that after landing, she released pressure on the flight controls in the same manner as she did during float-airplane landings on water. During the landing roll, the airplane ground looped to the left. The ground loop resulted in a bent rib and spar in the right wing.
Damage
The accident damaged a rib and spar in the right wing of the airplane.
Investigation
The investigation revealed that the student pilot had been flying her personal airplane on floats in Alaska for the previous five years. The flight instructor had been providing recurrent training in tail wheel operations. No other contributing factors or causal links were identified.
Frequently asked questions
What happened in the 22 Nov 2005 Cessna 180 accident near Lopez, WA?
During tail wheel landing instruction, a pilot released flight controls as in floatplane landings, causing the airplane to ground loop and damage the right wing.
Were there any fatalities in the 22 Nov 2005 Cessna 180 accident?
No fatalities were recorded in this accident.
What aircraft was involved and where did it happen?
The accident on 22 Nov 2005 involved a Cessna 180, registration N108EE, at Lopez, WA.
What was the probable cause of the accident?
The airline transport pilot, who was receiving recurrent training, failed to maintain aircraft control, which was followed by an inadvertent ground loop. A contributing factor was the inadequate supervision by the flight instructor.
A SkyWalk Join't 3 paraglider crashed into the ground near Las Vizcachas, Chile, on September 1, 2024. The pilot and passenger sustained serious spinal…
PARAPENTE (ULTRALIVIANO NO MOTORIZADO)·2024-09-01DGAC Chile
A Cessna 172N struck electrical cables while on final approach to land at Aucó Aerodrome in Chile. The pilot was uninjured, but the aircraft sustained damage…
A Bombardier DHC-8-402 suffered a tail strike during landing at Puerto Williams on September 9, 2024. All 76 occupants were unharmed, but the aircraft…
A MYD JS-MD 3 glider veered off the runway and struck a wall at Vitacura Aerodrome on January 6, 2025. The pilot was uninjured, but the aircraft sustained…
A recreational paraglider flight in Puchuncaví, Chile, ended with the pilot sustaining serious injuries after a rapid descent and impact with a hillside on…
PARAPENTE (ULTRALIVIANO NO MOTORIZADO)·2025-03-29DGAC Chile
A Tecnam P2006T landed on its belly at an aerodrome in Poland after the crew failed to confirm landing gear deployment. The incident resulted in no injuries…