Cessna 180 accident near Duluth, Minnesota, May 16, 2010
On May 16, 2010 at about 8:00 pm local time, a Cessna 180, registered N6545A, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Duluth, Minnesota (Sky Harbor Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 16, 2010 · about 8:00 pm local time
- Place
- Duluth, Minnesota · Sky Harbor Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 180 · all 180s on the register
- Registration
- N6545A · registry record · serial 32442
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot was landing to the southeast on a 3,050 feet long by 75 feet wide asphalt runway. The winds reported at the time of the accident were from 070 degrees at 3 knots. The pilot said the airplane made a sudden turn to the left approximately 200 to 300 feet down the runway, after a normal touchdown. He applied right rudder and right brake but the airplane drifted off of the left side of the runway and the left wing tip impacted the ground. The airplane came to rest at a 45 degree angle to the runway. The pilot said he had very little recent flight experience. He felt this accident could have been prevented if he had flown with a flight instructor after having been away from flying for such a long period of time. There was substantial damage to the left wing tip and to the spar of the left wing. The pilot reported he was not injured.
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
- Abnormal runway contact during landing (flare/touchdown)
- Loss of control on ground during landing (landing roll) defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (landing roll)
- Runway excursion during landing (landing roll)
- 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 › Action/decision › Action › Lack of action › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 181 hours in all; 172 in this make and model; 1 in the last 90 days; 1 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: October 24, 2009
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,826 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 6, 2010; 1 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: DYT Duluth MN at 7:30 pm
- Destination: DYT Duluth MN
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 14, 3,050 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 070° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 54°F (12°C), dew point 36°F (2°C)
- Altimeter: 30.19 inHg
- Observation at 7:54 pm from DYT
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 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.
Other NTSB records under N6545A the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.