This May 2010 accident report is provided by the National Transportation Safety Board. Published as an educational tool, it is intended to help pilots learn from the misfortunes of others.
Aircraft: Cessna 180. Injuries: None. Location: Kettle Falls, Wash. Aircraft damage: Substantial.
What reportedly happened: The pilot stated that during the flight he encountered frequent isolated rain storms. During the approach to land there was light rain with good visibility, but as the airplane slowed during roll-out, visibility was degraded by heavy rain.
At approximately 150 feet from the end of the runway the pilot saw that he was approaching an 18-inch elevated driveway. He applied heavy braking and right rudder, which resulted in a low-speed skid. The left main gear hit the driveway and the plane continued to slide over the road bed. The impact resulted in substantial damage to the left wing, fuselage, and firewall.
Probable cause: The pilot’s failure to maintain clearance from obstacles during the landing roll. Contributing to the accident was the reduced visibility due to precipitation.
For more information: NTSB.gov. NTSB Identification: WPR10CA257
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