Accident Cessna 180 N11JW, Friday 15 September 1995

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Date:	Friday 15 September 1995
Time:	13:15 LT
Type:	Cessna 180
Owner/operator:	Private
Registration:	N11JW
MSN:	32278
Year of manufacture:	1980
Total airframe hrs:	3069 hours
Engine model:	Continental O-470K
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 2
Other fatalities:	0
Aircraft damage:	Substantial
Category:	Accident
Location:	Pray, MT - United States of America
Phase:	Landing
Nature:	Private
Departure airport:	Nampa, ID (S67)
Destination airport:
Investigating agency:	NTSB
Confidence Rating:	Accident investigation report completed and information captured

Narrative:
THE PILOT LINED UP ON THE 6,000-FOOT-LONG, 30-FOOT-WIDE, MACADAM ROAD FOR LANDING AFTER BEING ADVISED BY RADIO OF CALM WINDS. UPON TOUCHDOWN THE TAILWHEEL BEGAN TO SHIMMY AND THE AIRCRAFT COMMENCED A RIGHT DRIFT WHICH WAS CORRECTED WITH LEFT RUDDER/STEERING. ONCE ESTABLISHED ON CENTERLINE THE PILOT APPLIED RIGHT RUDDER/STEERING WITHOUT EFFECT. THE AIRCRAFT ROLLED OFF THE LEFT SIDE OF THE SLOPED ROAD DURING WHICH THE LEFT MAIN LANDING GEAR IMPACTED A ROCK. THE LEFT GEAR SUBSEQUENTLY COLLAPSED. THE PILOT REPORTED OBSERVING A WINDSOCK INDICATION OF A LEFT QUARTERING TAILWIND IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING THE LANDING. POSTCRASH EXAMINATION REVEALED A MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION WITHIN THE TAILWHEEL STEERING MECHANISM PREVENTING RIGHT TAILWHEEL STEERING.

Probable Cause: THE LOSS OF DIRECTIONAL CONTROL DUE TO THE LOSS OF RIGHT TAILWHEEL STEERING. FACTORS IN THE ACCIDENT WERE: A LEFT QUARTERING CROSSWIND AND THE SLOPED SIDE OF THE ROAD.

Accident investigation: