Cessna 180 accident near Brookville, Ohio, August 28, 2012
On August 28, 2012 at about 7:30 pm local time, a Cessna 180, registered N2909A, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff near Brookville, Ohio (Brookville Air-Park 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 failure to maintain directional control of the airplane during the attempted takeoff in gusting crosswind conditions.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 28, 2012 · about 7:30 pm local time
- Place
- Brookville, Ohio · Brookville Air-Park · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 180 · all 180s on the register
- Registration
- N2909A · registry record · serial 30109
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot was taking off on runway 27 when the airplane veered off the right side of the runway. The left main gear collapsed, and the left wing was substantially damaged. The closest recorded weather observation facility, which was 11 miles away, reported wind from 010 degrees at 12 knots, gusting to 17 knots. Based on the wind condition, the pilot likely did not maintain control of the airplane due to a gusting crosswind.
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 takeoff defining event
- Landing gear collapse during takeoff
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Gusts › Response/compensation
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 3,000 hours in all; 460 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: None
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Cont Motor O-470 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: KI62 Brookville OH
- Destination: KI62 Brookville OH
- Flight plan: not recorded
- Runway 27, 2,500 ft by 30 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 010° at 12 knots, gusting 17
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 5,500 ft
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 59°F (15°C)
- Altimeter: 30.04 inHg
- Observation at 7:56 pm from KDAY, 11 miles away
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.