No fatalities

11 Feb 2015: CESSNA 185 - E E — Andrew T Hoffman — Carson City, NV

Carson City, NV, United States

On 11 Feb 2015, a CESSNA 185 - E E operated by Andrew T Hoffman was involved in an aviation accident near Carson City, NV. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during landing with a crosswind 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

A pilot reported that after touchdown, a strong crosswind from the left caused the tail to kick right. Despite adding full rudder and power for a go-around, torque and P-factor with a wind gust pulled the right wing down, leading to a runway excursion and substantial damage.

Incident Overview

During landing, immediately after touchdown, the pilot experienced a strong crosswind from the left that caused the tail to kick to the right. In response, the pilot applied full right rudder and added full power to initiate a go-around. However, the torque and P-factor, combined with a wind gust, pulled the right wing downward until it contacted the ground.

Subsequent Actions and Outcome

The pilot then reduced power and aborted the takeoff. With the right wing still in contact with the ground, the airplane rolled off the runway into soft mud. This caused the airplane to spin around onto its nose, followed by the left wing contacting the ground. The aircraft came to rest on its nose and left wing.

Damage Assessment

The accident resulted in substantial damage to the fuselage, both wings, associated ailerons, and both elevators. The pilot reported no pre-impact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation.

Pilot Report

The pilot stated that no mechanical issues were present before the accident, attributing the event to the crosswind conditions and aerodynamic factors.

Contributing factors

Causes

PilotDirectional control — Not attained/maintained

Other contributing factors

Contributed to outcome