No fatalities

26 Jul 2013: CESSNA 180J — Jeanne McPherson — Hungry Horse, MT

Hungry Horse, MT, United States

On 26 Jul 2013, a CESSNA 180J operated by Jeanne McPherson was involved in an aviation accident near Hungry Horse, MT. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during the landing roll, which resulted in a ground loop. 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

During landing roll, the airplane swerved right, hit an uneven area, and entered a slow right turn, causing the left wing tip to strike the ground, resulting in substantial damage.

Incident Summary

During the landing roll, the pilot reported that the airplane swerved to the right. The pilot initially thought she had the situation under control. However, the airplane then encountered an uneven area on the runway surface. This caused the aircraft to enter a slow right turn, during which the left wing tip impacted the ground.

Damage Assessment

The accident resulted in substantial damage to the left wing and the left horizontal stabilizer. No other damage was reported.

Pilot Statement

The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot's account indicates that the swerve and subsequent impact were not attributed to any technical issues with the aircraft.

Sequence of Events

  • The airplane was in the landing roll phase.
  • The aircraft swerved to the right.
  • The pilot believed control was regained momentarily.
  • The airplane hit an uneven area on the runway.
  • This led to a slow right turn.
  • The left wing tip made contact with the ground.
  • The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing and left horizontal stabilizer.

Contributing factors

Causes

PilotDirectional control — Not attained/maintained

Other contributing factors

Rough terrain