NTSB Factual Report

On September 26, 2001, approximately 1127 Pacific daylight time, a Cessna 180 airplane, N224H, registered to and operated by a private pilot, was substantially damaged in a loss of control and subsequent excursion off of runway 7 and ground loop during landing at Idaho County Airport, Grangeville, Idaho. The pilot and one passenger were not injured in the accident. No flight plan had been filed for the local 14 CFR 91 flight out of Grangeville. Winds at the time of the accident, as reported by both the pilot and a temporary control tower in operation at the airport at the time, were from 100 degrees at 7 knots.

The pilot reported that prior to landing, the temporary tower gave him the winds as being from 100 degrees at 7 knots, and that the winds appeared to him to be fairly steady at these values (based on observation of the windsocks at the airport) throughout the approach. The pilot stated:

...After touch down with all 3 wheels on the asphalt and near the end of roll out

(yoke full back [and] aileron into wind) the tail lifted and the aircraft yawed to

the right. I corrected with left rudder [and] brake. The tail lifted again and the

aircraft yawed to the right much worse than the [first] time. I [tried] to correct

with left rudder [and] brake. [That is] when the left gear leg (at the box)

[collapsed]....

The pilot reported that after he got out of the aircraft after the accident, "I was facing looking down runway 07 and the wind was hitting me in the back of the neck." He stated that he then looked at the wind sock and estimated that the wind had changed to southwesterly at about 12 to 15 knots, and that soon afterward the tower was reporting winds from 190 degrees at 12 knots to other aircraft. The pilot indicated on his NTSB accident report that no mechanical malfunction or failure was involved in the accident.

Winds at the Automated Surface Observation System (ASOS) at Lewiston, Idaho, approximately 46 nautical miles northwest of Idaho County Airport, were reported as being from 030 to 060 degrees true at 5 to 6 knots between 1056 and 1256. After 1256, winds at Lewiston shifted counterclockwise. They were reported as being from 020 degrees true at 1356, from 340 degrees true at 7 knots at 1456, from 300 degrees true at 6 knots at 1556, and from 270 degrees true at 6 knots at 1656.

Winds at the ASOS at McCall, Idaho, in the mountain time zone and approximately 63 nautical miles south of Idaho County Airport, were reported as being from 240 degrees true at 5 knots at 1150 mountain daylight time (MDT), from 170 degrees true at 11 knots at 1250 MDT, from 200 degrees true (variable between 170 and 240 degrees true) at 9 knots at 1350 MDT, and from 220 degrees true at 11 knots at 1450 MDT.

Winds at the ASOS at Missoula, Montana, in the mountain time zone and approximately 102 nautical miles northeast of Idaho County Airport, were reported as being from 180 degrees true at 4 knots at 1156 MDT, variable at 4 knots at 1256 MDT, and variable at 6 knots at 1356 MDT. At 1456 MDT, winds were reported as being from 320 degrees true at 10 knots, gusting to 17 knots; and at 1556 MDT, winds were reported as being from 260 degrees true at 7 knots.

NTSB Probable Cause

The pilot's inadequate compensation for wind conditions. A factor was variable winds.