At about 13:30 Pacific time, a Cessna 185F ground-looped on landing at Reno. The pilot and passenger were not injured. The pilot stated the landing was uneventful until he lowered the tail to the ground, at which point the airplane suddenly veered to the left. The pilot told investigators that several previous occasions the tailwheel seemed to stick initially and cause the airplane to deviate from the selected track but would eventually free up and track straight. Inspection showed the tailwheel rotated freely until moved it to its maximum left deflection limit, at which point it locked.
December 18, Reno, Nev. / Cessna 185
At about 13:30 Pacific time, a Cessna 185F ground-looped on landing at Reno. The pilot and passenger were not injured. The pilot stated the landing was uneventful until he lowered the tail to the ground, at which point the airplane suddenly veered to the left. The pilot told investigators that several previous occasions the tailwheel seemed to stick initially and cause the airplane to deviate from the selected track but would eventually free up and track straight. Inspection showed the tailwheel rotated freely until moved it to its maximum left deflection limit, at which point it locked....
Key Takeaways:
- A Cessna 185F ground-looped on landing at Reno, with the pilot and passenger uninjured.
- The incident occurred when the tail was lowered, causing the aircraft to suddenly veer left.
- Investigation revealed the tailwheel locked at its maximum left deflection, a condition the pilot had previously experienced intermittently.
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