No fatalities

2 Sep 2012: CESSNA 180 — Garret Van Horne — Kenai, AK

Kenai, AK, United States

On 2 Sep 2012, a CESSNA 180 operated by Garret Van Horne was involved in an aviation accident near Kenai, AK. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The accident was caused by the pilot choosing an unsuitable landing surface, which led to the aircraft striking a stump and flipping forward. 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 tailwheel aircraft sustained substantial damage after striking a hidden stump during a landing roll on an unimproved airstrip.

What happened

On September 2, 2012, a Cessna 180, registration N67178, was performing a landing at a remote, unimproved airstrip near Kenai, Alaska. The weather conditions at the time were Visual Meteorological Conditions (VMC) with visibility of 25 statute miles.

During the landing roll, the aircraft's main landing gear struck a tree stump that was concealed on the surface. This impact caused the airplane to nose over, resulting in substantial damage to the fuselage and the wings. There were no injuries reported in the accident.

The investigation

Investigators found no mechanical issues with the aircraft prior to the accident that would have prevented normal operation.

Probable cause

The accident was caused by the pilot choosing an unsuitable landing surface, which led to the aircraft striking a stump and flipping forward.

Contributing factors

Causes

Pilot

Other contributing factors

Contributed to outcome