Cessna 180 accident near Denton, Texas, October 19, 2008
On October 19, 2008 at about 12:50 pm local time, a Cessna 180, registered N1729F, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Denton, Texas (Denton airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's loss of directional control and subsequent "ground-loop."
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 19, 2008 · about 12:50 pm local time
- Place
- Denton, Texas · Denton · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 180 · all 180s on the register
- Registration
- N1729F · registry record · serial 30619
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported in a telephone interview that he planned to do proficiency landings during the early morning hours. During one of the landings, the wing began to lift and he was not able to regain directional control of the single-engine tail-wheel equipped airplane. The airplane then "ground-looped", and came to rest inverted on the runway. The pilot further reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane.
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
- Nose over/nose down 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
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 16,278 hours in all; 538 in this make and model; 4 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days; 16,000 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: June 15, 2008
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, June 8, 2008
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Cont Motor O-470 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 52F Roanoke TX at 10:00 am
- Destination: KDTO Denton TX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 17, 5,999 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 50°F (10°C)
- Altimeter: 30.23 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.