Cottage Grove Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Cottage Grove, Oregon 97424
Tuesady, June 10, 2008 11:30 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot reported that the approach to the runway was normal using 30 degrees of flaps and an airspeed of 80 mph. He slowed to 60 mph over the runway and was thinking about flaring when the "bottom fell out." The airplane dropped, hit hard, and the nose wheel separated. The airplane nosed over and came to rest inverted. The top of the vertical fin and rudder were crushed.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's misjudged landing flare.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/10/2008
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 1130
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City Cottage Grove
Event State OREGON
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 97424
Event Date Year 2008
Event Date Month 6
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 434759N
Event Location Longitude 1230144W
Event Location Airport Cottage Grove
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 61S
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1154 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 360
Weather Observation Facility ID EUG
Elevation of weather observation facility 374
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 22
Time Zone of the weather observation PDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 2400
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions --
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 13
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 5
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 260
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 9
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.25
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 1
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 23968
NTSB Notification Source FAA ROC
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Jul 30 2008 9:00AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\johb
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N182RA
NTSB Number LAX08CA174
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion --
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Cessna
Aircraft Model 182
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 33743
Certified Max Gross Weight --
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class --
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft --
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection --
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed --
ELT Activated --
ELT Aided Location of Event Site --
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Ronald F. Downing
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City --
Aircraft Owner State --
Aircraft Owner Country --
Aircraft Owner Zipcode --
Operator is an individual? Yes
Operator Name --
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address --
Operator City Eugene
Operator State OR
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code --
Operator Code --
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? --
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation --
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Personal
Second Pilot on Board --
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code 77S
Departure City Creswell
Departure State OR
Departure Country USA
Departure Time --
Departure Time Zone --
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code 61S
Destination City Cottage Grove
Destination State OR
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jul 18 2008 10:21AM
User who most recently changed record COOS
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 15
Runway Length 3188
Runway Width 60
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --