Cessna 185F accident near Pottstown, Pennsylvania, April 30, 2000
On April 30, 2000 at about 12:45 pm local time, a Cessna 185F, registered N6535E, was substantially damaged in an accident near Pottstown, Pennsylvania (Pottstown Limerick airport). It was an instructional 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 second pilot's inadequate compensation for wind conditions and the inadequate supervision of the flight instructor. Factors related to the accident were the crosswind and gusting wind conditions.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 30, 2000 · about 12:45 pm local time
- Place
- Pottstown, Pennsylvania · Pottstown Limerick · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 185F · all 185Fs on the register
- Registration
- N6535E · no longer on the register · serial 18504053
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The certificated flight instructor (CFI) and pilot were conducting a training flight. During landing, the airplane bounced once on the main landing gear and began a rollout. Control positions of left rudder, right aileron, and elevator transitioning to full up, were inputted for the crosswind condition. After about 500-600 feet into the rollout, the airplane began to swerve to the right. The pilot counteracted the swerve with the remaining amount of left rudder and then began 'feeding in left brake.' The airplane had not changed its heading of more than 30 degrees, when the CFI commanded the pilot to 'get off the brakes.' Both of the pilots applied full left rudder and the airplane departed the right side of the runway and accelerated into a ground loop. Federal Aviation Administration publication FAA-H-8083-3, Airplane Flying Handbook stated, 'If the airplane touches down while drifting or in a crab, the pilot should apply aileron toward the high wing and stop the swerve with the rudder. Brakes should be used to correct for turns or swerves only when the rudder is inadequate. The pilot must exercise caution when applying corrective brake action because it is very easy to overcontrol and aggravate the situation.' The pilot reported 4 hours of total flight experience in make and model. The winds reported at the airport, at 0854, were 320 degrees at 13 knots, gusting to 19 knots.
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: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; multi-engine sea; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,800 hours in all; 100 in this make and model; 5 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days; 2,500 as pilot in command; 600 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,099 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 5, 1999; 95 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,350 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-520-D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: N62 New Hanover PA at 12:30 pm
- Destination: PTW
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 28, 3,371 ft by 75 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 320° at 13 knots, gusting 19
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 36°F (2°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 12:54 pm from PTW
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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.