Cessna 180 accident near Dunseith, North Dakota, September 1, 2021
On September 1, 2021 at about 6:50 pm local time, a 1960 Cessna 180, registered CFMFT, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Dunseith, North Dakota (Intl Peace Garden 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 an attempted go-around with a strong gusting crosswind.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 1, 2021 · about 6:50 pm local time
- Place
- Dunseith, North Dakota · Intl Peace Garden · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 180, built 1960 · all 180s on the register
- Registration
- CFMFT · no longer on the register · serial 50788
- 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 while practicing touch and go landings, the airplane touched down and starting drifting left toward the edge of the runway. The pilot applied full power to go around, but the airplane exited the left side of the runway and impacted the ground. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage and both wings. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failure with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. At the time of the accident, the pilot was landing the airplane on runway 11 with wind 190o at 20 knots, gusting to 30 knots. Following the accident, the pilot reported he should have diverted to another airport due to the high crosswind conditions.
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
- Other weather encounter during landing (landing roll)
- Loss of control on ground during landing (landing roll) defining event
- Attempted remediation/recovery during landing (landing roll)
- Runway excursion during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Crosswind › Decision related to condition
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 536 hours in all; 453 in this make and model; 30 in the last 90 days; 30 in the last 30 days; 443 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: November 15, 2019
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,813 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 22, 2021; 25 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,650 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470-L (piston); 4,839 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: JMS Jamestown ND at 5:12 pm
- Destination: S28 Dunseith ND
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 11, 3,006 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 160° at 24 knots, gusting 38
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 77°F (25°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 29.82 inHg
- Observation at 2:15 pm from K06D, 18 miles away
Weather report (METAR): K06D 011915Z AUTO 16024G38KT 10SM CLR 25/13 A2982 RMK AO2
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
2 documents, released by the NTSB on November 16, 2021. 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 | Photos of Airplane | PDF, 2 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.