No fatalities

Runway Excursion During Tailwheel Landing Practice

Talkeetna, AK, United States

On May 17, 2011, a CESSNA A185F operated by K2 Aviation was involved in an aviation accident near Talkeetna, AK. 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; 17 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

SourcesNTSBPrimary reportUpdated 1785761257Data APIEditorial standards

A commercial pilot practicing stop and go landings in a tailwheel airplane veered off the runway after touchdown, causing structural damage to the left wing. Post-accident inspection of the tailwheel found no anomalies.

Accident Overview

A commercial pilot was conducting stop and go landing practice in a tailwheel-equipped airplane. The air taxi operator's chief pilot was seated in the right seat. During the first landing of the session, as the tailwheel contacted the runway, the airplane abruptly veered to the right. The pilot applied left rudder input, but the airplane departed the runway to the right.

Loss of Control and Evasive Action

After the runway excursion began, the pilot relinquished control of the airplane to the company chief pilot. During the event, the right wing rose, and the left wing struck the ground, resulting in structural damage to the left wing.

Post-Accident Inspection

An examination of the tailwheel assembly revealed no anomalies that would have contributed to the veering. No other mechanical issues were noted in the inspection.

Conclusion

The runway excursion occurred during a touch-and-go landing practice. The pilot's control inputs were insufficient to maintain directional control after the tailwheel touchdown, leading to the departure from the runway and subsequent wing strike.

Contributing factors

Directional control — Not attained/maintainedPilot