No fatalities

9 May 2017: CESSNA A185 F — Columbia, CA

Columbia, CA, United States

On 9 May 2017, a CESSNA A185 F was involved in an aviation accident near Columbia, CA. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot’s failure to maintain directional control in tailwind and crosswind conditions. 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, a tailwheel airplane veered left after a gust hit its tail, causing the right main gear to collapse and the right wing to strike the ground. Substantial damage occurred; no mechanical issues were reported.

Incident Overview

A pilot of a tailwheel-equipped airplane experienced a loss of directional control during the landing roll. According to the pilot's report, while transitioning from rudder control to brakes, a gust of wind struck the airplane's tail. This caused the airplane to veer left off the runway.

Sequence of Events

As the airplane departed the runway surface, the right main landing gear collapsed. Subsequently, the right wing impacted the ground, resulting in substantial damage to that wing. The pilot stated that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation.

Weather Conditions

The automated weather observation system at the accident airport reported wind from 250° at 6 knots around the time of the incident. The pilot had landed on runway 35.

Damage Assessment

Substantial damage was sustained by the right wing. No other damage details were provided by the source.

Contributing factors

Causes

Directional control — Not attained/maintainedPilot

Other contributing factors

Effect on equipment