Cessna 180 accident near Lago Vista, Texas, July 2, 2018
On July 2, 2018 at about 1:10 am local time, a 1954 Cessna 180, registered N2469C, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Lago Vista, Texas (Rusty Allen 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 separation of the left main landing gear spring during landing due to a preexisting fatigue crack.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 2, 2018 · about 1:10 am local time
- Place
- Lago Vista, Texas · Rusty Allen Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 180, built 1954 · all 180s on the register
- Registration
- N2469C · no longer on the register · serial 30769
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airline transport pilot was conducting a personal flight when the airplane rolled left during the landing flare and then landed hard on the left main landing gear (MLG). The airplane bounced and landed hard and then bounced again on the left MLG. The left MLG spring separated from the fuselage on the third contact with the runway. The airplane subsequently ground looped to the left and came to rest heading about 180° from the original runway direction. The left main wing spar was substantially damaged when the left wingtip impacted the runway. Postaccident materials examination of the fractured left MLG spring revealed a multiple-origin fatigue crack where the landing gear fixation hardware contacted the landing gear spring. The maintenance logbooks were not complete; therefore, it could not be determined if the left MLG spring had been replaced or overhauled since new. The separation of the left MLG gear spring during landing was likely due to the fatigue crack that reduced the overall strength of the landing gear spring.
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
- Miscellaneous/other during landing (flare/touchdown)
- Hard landing during landing (flare/touchdown)
- Sys/Comp malf/fail (non-power) during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
- Loss of control on ground during landing (flare/touchdown)
- Part(s) separation from AC during landing (flare/touchdown)
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (flare/touchdown)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Main landing gear › Failure
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Main landing gear › Fatigue/wear/corrosion
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 16,267 hours in all; 270 in this make and model; 14,749 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: January 29, 2018
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,101 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 23, 2018; 37 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470-J (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: CDS Childress TX at 10:40 pm
- Destination: RYW Lago Vista TX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 15, 3,808 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 150° at 9 knots, gusting 16
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 91°F (33°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 29.95 inHg
- Observation at 1:15 am from RYW
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
3 documents, released by the NTSB on April 4, 2019. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Memorandum of Conversation (James D Smith) | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | NTSB Materials Laboratory Report No. 18-071 | PDF, 5 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.