Cessna 180 accident near Lampasas, Texas, March 30, 2022
On March 30, 2022 at about 5:15 pm local time, a 1955 Cessna 180, registered N4738B, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff near Lampasas, Texas (Lampasas 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 decision to perform a takeoff from a perpendicular taxiway rather than the airport runway, which led to the airplane striking trees at the end of the departure path.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 30, 2022 · about 5:15 pm local time
- Place
- Lampasas, Texas · Lampasas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 180, built 1955 · all 180s on the register
- Registration
- N4738B · registry record · serial 31636
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot of the tailwheel equipped airplane reported that when he landed, the landing was “rough” and right at the edge of the airplane’s crosswind capabilities. Due to the strong crosswind, the pilot said he thought he would be better off taking off into the wind from the perpendicular taxiway since it was more into the wind. He said that during the takeoff, the wind wasn’t as strong as he thought, and he wasn’t able to clear the trees that were in the departure path. A cell phone video of the accident provided by a witness was consistent with the pilot’s description of the accident. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left elevator, right wing, and right aileron. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The accident airport had one runway (16/34) and the recorded winds about the time of the accident were from 300° at 12 kts, gusting to 25 kts.
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
- Collision during takeoff/land during takeoff defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Tree(s) › Effect on operation
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › (general) › Capability exceeded
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 2,500 hours in all; 1,200 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: BasicMed
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: 30F Dallas TX
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 300° at 12 knots, gusting 25
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 68°F (20°C), dew point 43°F (6°C)
- Altimeter: 29.64 inHg
- Observation at 12:15 pm from KLZZ
Weather report (METAR): KLZZ 301715Z AUTO 30012G25KT 10SM CLR 20/06 A2964 RMK AO2 T01960062
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
3 documents, released by the NTSB on August 12, 2022. 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 | Record of Conversation with Pilot | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 2 | Witness Video of the Accident | video | View Download |
| 3 | Accident Photos | PDF, 1 page | 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.