Cessna 180 accident near Delavan, Wisconsin, April 3, 2021
On April 3, 2021 at about 4:13 pm local time, a 1953 Cessna 180, registered N1522C, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Delavan, Wisconsin (Private airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s failure to maintain control of the airplane during the landing roll with gusting crosswinds, which resulted in his excessive brake input and a subsequent nose over.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 3, 2021 · about 4:13 pm local time
- Place
- Delavan, Wisconsin · Private · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 180, built 1953 · all 180s on the register
- Registration
- N1522C · registry record · serial 30222
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that he was landing on his private grass strip in gusting crosswind conditions, when he noted the landing roll extended longer than he expected. As he approached the end of the runway, he got on the brakes “too hard” and the airplane nosed over and came to rest inverted. The airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings, both wing struts, and the vertical stabilizer. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot reported that he should have been less aggressive on the brakes.
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 defining event
- Nose over/nose down during landing (landing roll)
- Other weather encounter during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Gusts › Response/compensation
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,627 hours in all; 349 in this make and model
- Last flight review: August 16, 2019
- Medical certificate: BasicMed (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,769 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 1, 2020
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470-J (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: JVL Janesville WI at 3:50 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18, 1,600 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 240° at 15 knots, gusting 21
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 59°F (15°C), dew point 30°F (-1°C)
- Altimeter: 30.07 inHg
- Observation at 10:45 am from KJVL, 17 miles away
Weather report (METAR): KJVL 031545Z 24015G21KT 10SM CLR 15/M01 A3007
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.
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 documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text 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 CEN21LA180.