Cessna 180 accident near Alexandria, Louisiana, February 28, 2024
On February 28, 2024 at about 9:52 pm local time, a 1976 Cessna 180, registered N7770K, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Alexandria, Louisiana (Esler Rgnl 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 pilot’s failure to maintain directional control during the landing roll with a gusting crosswind.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 28, 2024 · about 9:52 pm local time · cases in 2024
- Place
- Alexandria, Louisiana · Esler Rgnl · cases near this airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 180 J, built 1976 · all 180s on the register
- Registration
- N7770K · registry record · serial 18052726
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot encountered a gust of wind about halfway through his landing roll. He was unable to counter the gust with full aileron and rudder deflections, which resulted in a loss on control and ground loop. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing, right horizontal stabilizer, and right elevator. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. At the time of the accident the pilot was landing the airplane on runway 9 with wind from 020° at 12 knots with gusts to 22 knots.
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 (landing roll) defining event
- Other weather encounter during landing (landing roll)
- Attempted remediation/recovery during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Gusts › Ability to respond/compensate
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,790 hours in all; 360 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,333.7 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 13, 2024; 29.7 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,190 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Cont Motor O-470 SERIES (piston); 2,334 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 4R9 Dauphin Island LA at 7:48 pm
- Destination: ESF Pineville LA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 09/2, 5,998 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 020° at 12 knots, gusting 22
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 34°F (1°C)
- Altimeter: 30.18 inHg
- Observation at 3:53 pm from KESF, 1 miles away
Weather report (METAR): METAR KESF 282153Z AUTO 02012G22KT 10SM CLR 17/01 A3018 RMK AO2 SLP219 T01720006=
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Photographs from the investigation 3 pictures from the NTSB's docket, as the NTSB released them
Photograph 1 – Accident airplane
Photograph 2 – Accident airplane
Photograph 3 – Accident airplane right wingtipThe NTSB's photographs with the NTSB's captions, at screen size. Open a picture to see it full size or to report one that should not be shown.
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
2 documents, released by the NTSB on April 12, 2024. 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, 11 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Photos | PDF, 5 pages · our copy | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
Other NTSB records under N7770K the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N7770K on the register today · the tail number may have moved to another aircraft since
- Cessna 180 Skywagon 2,605 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Cessna 72,684 aircraft on the register
- Engine: Cont Motor O-470 SERIES 12,780 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Esler Regional · nearest airport
- Jeremiah Denton Airport · departed from
- Accidents and incidents in Louisiana 1,274 since 1982 · 189 in the last ten years
- Louisiana 3,734 aircraft registered
- Other NTSB records under N7770K 2 records · the number may have belonged to another aircraft at the time
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/CEN24LA126.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.