What happened
On October 2, 2014, a Cessna 180 bearing registration N156JM was performing a landing in Marion, Montana. During the landing phase, the pilot applied the left brake unintentionally. This action caused the tailwheel-equipped aircraft to veer sharply to the left. As a result, the right wing and the horizontal stabilizer made contact with the ground. The aircraft remained upright following the excursion.
There were no injuries resulting from this event. Weather conditions at the time were visual meteorological conditions (VMC) with a visibility of 10 statute miles and winds from 040 degrees at 15 knots.
The investigation
Post-accident inspections of the aircraft identified structural damage to the right wing, the right horizontal stabilizer, and the right elevator. The pilot stated that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures prior to the accident that would have prevented the aircraft from operating normally.