Cessna 180 accident near Cambridge, Minnesota, July 21, 2020
On July 21, 2020 at about 9:20 pm local time, a 1954 Cessna 180, registered N2943C, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Cambridge, Minnesota (Cambridge Muncipal airport). It was an instructional 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's loss of directional control while landing a tailwheel airplane with a slight left quartering a tailwind. Contributing to the accident was the flight instructor's delayed remedial action.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 21, 2020 · about 9:20 pm local time
- Place
- Cambridge, Minnesota · Cambridge Muncipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 180 Undesignat, built 1954 · all 180s on the register
- Registration
- N2943C · registry record · serial 30843
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot and flight instructor conducted an instructional flight in a single-engine tailwheel airplane. The pilot had recently purchased the airplane and needed a tailwheel endorsement. After some ground instruction, they performed taxi and high-speed taxi operations in the airplane. They then flew to another airport, where they performed six take-off and landings to a full stop on a grass runway. En route back to their original airport, they stopped at another airport which had a grass runway and performed another seven takeoffs and landings. They then returned to the original airport, where the pilot completed a landing and takeoff from an asphalt runway. During the final landing to runway 34, the airplane bounced, and bounced a second time, before the airplane ground looped. The airplane came to rest inverted beside the runway, and substantial damage was noted to the airplane's empennage and wing. A review of the weather conditions about the time of the accident noted wind at 220 deg; at 5 kts. Using runway 34, the airplane would have experienced a slight quartering tailwind condition during landing.
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 (flare/touchdown) defining event
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
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Instructor/check pilot
- factor Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Delayed action › Instructor/check pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 529 hours in all; 17.2 in this make and model; 72 in the last 90 days; 13 in the last 30 days; 480 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: June 24, 2020
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 6,200 hours in all; 45 in this make and model; 70 in the last 90 days; 46 in the last 30 days; 5,933 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: July 7, 2020
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,800 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 1, 2019
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: CBG Cambridge MN
- Destination: CBG Cambridge MN
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 34, 4,001 ft by 75 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 220° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 3,300 ft
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.86 inHg
- Observation at 8:55 pm from KCBG
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 2 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number CEN20CA298.