Incident Overview
On March 18, 2008, at approximately 1430 mountain daylight time, a Cessna 180H (registration N67WW) operated by the private pilot as a personal flight under 14 CFR Part 91 without a flight plan, was substantially damaged in a landing accident at Glenwood Springs Airport (GWS), Glenwood Springs, Colorado. The pilot, the sole occupant, was not injured.
Flight Details
The cross-country flight originated in Santa Monica, California, at approximately 0700 Pacific daylight time. After refueling in St. George, Utah, the pilot departed at 1100 and was en route to GWS. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident.
Accident Sequence
According to the pilot, as he approached GWS, the Automated Weather Observation Station (AWOS) reported calm winds. Everything was normal as he crossed the runway threshold. The airplane touched down, and the pilot felt a strong left quartering tailwind gust. The airplane lifted off and drifted to the right toward a snow bank, hangar, and fuel pump. The airplane touched down again, and the pilot decided to commit to the landing, applying maximum brakes. The tail rose up, and the propeller struck the ground.
Post-Accident Examination
Post-accident examination disclosed that the firewall was buckled. The pilot reported no mechanical failures with the airplane.