Cessna 180 N2943C accident near Cambridge, Minnesota

Probable cause

The pilot's loss of directional control while landing a tailwheel airplane with a slight left quartering a tailwind. Contributing to the accident was the flight instructor's delayed remedial action.

NTSB analysis

The pilot and flight instructor conducted an instructional flight in a single-engine tailwheel airplane. The pilot had recently purchased the airplane and needed a tailwheel endorsement. After some ground instruction, they performed taxi and high-speed taxi operations in the airplane. They then flew to another airport, where they performed six take-off and landings to a full stop on a grass runway. En route back to their original airport, they stopped at another airport which had a grass runway and performed another seven takeoffs and landings. They then returned to the original airport, where the pilot completed a landing and takeoff from an asphalt runway. During the final landing to runway 34, the airplane bounced, and bounced a second time, before the airplane ground looped. The airplane came to rest inverted beside the runway, and substantial damage was noted to the airplane's empennage and wing. A review of the weather conditions about the time of the accident noted wind at 220 deg; at 5 kts. Using runway 34, the airplane would have experienced a slight quartering tailwind condition during landing.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for CEN20CA298 for the full record.