Cessna A185F accident near Columbia, California, May 20, 2006
On May 20, 2006 at about 8:00 pm local time, a Cessna A185F, registered N5468E, was substantially damaged in an accident near Columbia, California (Columbia Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's inadequate compensation for the crosswind condition and his failure to maintain directional control during the landing rollout.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 20, 2006 · about 8:00 pm local time
- Place
- Columbia, California · Columbia Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna A185F · all A185Fs on the register
- Registration
- N5468E · registry record · serial 03979
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The tail wheel equipped airplane ground looped on landing. The Automated Weather Observation System (AWOS) reported that the wind was 170 degrees at 4 knots. The pilot entered the pattern at 45 degrees to the right downwind for runway 17. He said he could not see the windsock on final approach, but the stability of the airplane confirmed the weather report. He executed a three-point full stall landing. Immediately upon touchdown, the airplane's tail swung to the left. He applied full left rudder to regain directional control, but the airplane did not respond. The airplane turned 90 degrees to the right, began skidding on the left main gear, and tilted to the left. The left wing and horizontal tail surfaces made contact with the runway and the airplane came to rest after completing a 180-degree turn. The windsock at midfield indicated a 90-degree right crosswind at approximately 10 knots. The Airport/Facility Directory (A/FD) entry for Columbia Airport states, "varying wind direction and velocity may be encountered at midpoint of runway 17-35 due to terrain features and wind flow patterns." The pilot stated that the airplane and engine had no mechanical failures or malfunctions during the flight.
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
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 231 hours in all; 21 in this make and model; 56 in the last 90 days; 43 in the last 30 days; 178 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Teledyne Continental IO-520-D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: F25 Brownsville CA at 6:00 pm
- Destination: O22 Columbia CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 17, 4,670 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 29.87 inHg
- Observation at 7:53 pm from MOD, 36 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.