No fatalities

16 May 2010: CESSNA 180 — Duluth, MN

Duluth, MN, United States

On 16 May 2010, a CESSNA 180 was involved in an aviation accident near Duluth, MN. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during landing. This summary draws on records from NTSB; 12 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

SourcesNTSBPrimary reportUpdated 1778583330Data APIEditorial standards

A pilot reported a sudden left turn during landing on a 3,050-foot runway, resulting in the airplane drifting off the left side and substantial wing damage. The pilot had little recent flight experience.

Accident Details

The pilot was landing to the southeast on a 3,050-foot-long by 75-foot-wide asphalt runway. The winds reported at the time of the accident were from 070 degrees at 3 knots. According to the pilot, the airplane made a sudden turn to the left approximately 200 to 300 feet down the runway after a normal touchdown.

Pilot Actions

The pilot applied right rudder and right brake, but the airplane drifted off the left side of the runway. The left wing tip impacted the ground. The airplane came to rest at a 45-degree angle to the runway.

Pilot Comments

The pilot stated that he had very little recent flight experience. He felt that this accident could have been prevented if he had flown with a flight instructor after having been away from flying for such a long period of time.

Damage and Injuries

There was substantial damage to the left wing tip and to the spar of the left wing. The pilot reported he was not injured.

Contributing factors

Directional control — Not attained/maintainedPilot