CESSNA 180H
Belle Chase, LA — March 11, 2012
Event Information
| Date | March 11, 2012 |
| Event Type | ACC |
| NTSB Number | CEN12CA185 |
| Event ID | 20120312X53017 |
| Location | Belle Chase, LA |
| Country | USA |
| Coordinates | 29.86611, -90.02222 |
| Airport | Southern Seaplane Airport |
| Highest Injury | NONE |
Aircraft
| Make | CESSNA |
| Model | 180H |
| Category | AIR |
| FAR Part | 091 |
| Aircraft Damage | SUBS |
Conditions
| Light Condition | DAYL |
| Weather | VMC |
Injuries
| Fatal | 0 |
| Serious | 0 |
| Minor | 0 |
| None | 3 |
| Total Injured | 0 |
Event Location
Probable Cause
The bent tailwheel spring that allowed the tailwheel to caster when the airplane encountered a wind gust on landing roll.
Full Narrative
On downwind the pilot noticed that the wind had picked up and that there was light turbulence. He planned to land beyond trees to avoid turbulence. The airplane went through a gust of wind on roll out. The pilot applied rudder and aileron corrections along with heavy braking. The airplane exited the runway and impacted a pipe rack where the airplane sustained substantial damage to its left wing. A postaccident examination of the airplane revealed that a tailwheel spring, part number 3432, was bent and its spring rate was weak, which allowed the tailwheel's fork to caster freely by not engaging into its machined locking detent.
About This NTSB Record
This aviation event was investigated by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). NTSB investigates all U.S. civil aviation accidents to determine probable cause and issue safety recommendations to prevent future accidents.