Cessna A185 accident near Columbia, California, May 9, 2017
On May 9, 2017 at about 8:30 pm local time, a 1980 Cessna A185, registered N185RX, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Columbia, California (Columbia airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s failure to maintain directional control in tailwind and crosswind conditions.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 9, 2017 · about 8:30 pm local time
- Place
- Columbia, California · Columbia · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna A185 F, built 1980 · all A185s on the register
- Registration
- N185RX · registry record · serial 18504118
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot of the tailwheel-equipped airplane reported that, during the landing roll and while he transitioned from rudder control to brakes, "a gust of wind hit my [the airplane's] tail." The airplane veered off the runway to the left, the right main landing gear collapsed, and the right wing impacted the ground. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The automated weather observation system at the accident airport reported that, about the time of the accident, the wind was from 250° at 6 knots. The pilot landed on runway 35.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Loss of control on ground during landing (landing roll) defining event
- Runway excursion during landing (landing roll)
- Landing gear collapse during landing (landing roll)
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Crosswind › Effect on equipment
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Tailwind › Effect on equipment
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 4,000 hours in all; 3,700 in this make and model; 35 in the last 90 days; 4,000 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: October 9, 2016
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,508 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 1, 2017
- Maximum gross weight: 3,200 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental Motors IO-520-D (piston); 3,526 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: CXL Calexico CA at 6:45 pm
- Destination: O22 Columbia CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 35, 4,673 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 250° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 77°F (25°C), dew point 50°F (10°C)
- Altimeter: 29.88 inHg
- Observation at 8:15 pm from KO22
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number GAA17CA270.