Cessna 140 accident near Sullivan, Wisconsin, July 13, 2003
On July 13, 2003 at about 7:30 pm local time, a Cessna 140, registered N2180V, was substantially damaged in an accident near Sullivan, Wisconsin (Mcdermott Air Park 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).
Preview. This page is not yet listed for search engines.
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's inadequate compensation for wind conditions resulting in a loss of directional control. A factor contributing to the accident was the crosswind.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 13, 2003 · about 7:30 pm local time
- Place
- Sullivan, Wisconsin · Mcdermott Air Park · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 140 · all 140s on the register
- Registration
- N2180V · registry record · serial 14409
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane nosed over after veering off the runway during landing. The pilot reported he observed a 25 to 30 degree, 8 knot crosswind while on downwind. The pilot stated he corrected for the crosswind with left aileron, but the airplane began to drift to the left. The pilot noted that when he applied right rudder and aileron to correct for the drift the wheels began to squeal. The pilot reported the airplane turned to the left as it slowed down and the right wing tip struck the runway. The right main landing gear wheel dug into the sod and the airplane nosed over.
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
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 343 hours in all; 31 in this make and model; 50 in the last 90 days; 36 in the last 30 days; 248 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: November 12, 2002
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,945 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 8, 2002; 35 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,450 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental C-85 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 57C East Troy WI at 6:30 pm
- Destination: 31WI Sullivan WI
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 24, 4,548 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 210° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 30.07 inHg
- Observation at 7:37 pm from RYV, 11 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
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 CHI03LA206.