Cessna 180E accident near Kenai, Alaska, June 3, 2004
On June 3, 2004 at about 4:10 am local time, a Cessna 180E, registered N5180, was substantially damaged in an accident near Kenai, Alaska (Kenai Municipal 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 a crosswind condition and his failure to maintain directional control which resulted in an inadvertent ground loop and nose over. A factor contributing to the accident was a direct crosswind.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 3, 2004 · about 4:10 am local time
- Place
- Kenai, Alaska · Kenai Municipal Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 180E · all 180Es on the register
- Registration
- N5180 · registry record · serial 18051077
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airline transport certificated pilot was departing in a tailwheel-equipped airplane. The pilot reported he was aware of a left crosswind that was near the limit for his airplane. The pilot indicated that he applied takeoff power and about 350 feet into the takeoff roll, the tailwheel lifted off the runway. The airplane began to veer to the left and the pilot pulled the engine power to idle and attempted to correct the left turn by application of brakes and flight controls. The airplane ground looped to the left, and the right wing struck the runway. The airplane then nosed over and received damage to the propeller, right wing, the vertical stabilizer, and the rudder. The wind conditions consisted of a direct left crosswind at 14 knots, with gusts to 21 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 engineer, private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 7,000 hours in all; 20 in this make and model; 25 in the last 90 days; 20 in the last 30 days; 2,500 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: March 10, 2004
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,866 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 29, 2003; 18 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,650 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470R (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PAEN Kenai AK at 11:10 pm
- Destination: PAFA Fairbanks AK
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 19R, 7,575 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 090° at 14 knots, gusting 21
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 30°F (-1°C)
- Altimeter: 29.95 inHg
- Observation at 10:53 pm from PAEN
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.