Cessna 180 accident near Aurora, Illinois, May 8, 1982
On May 8, 1982 at about 7:30 pm local time, a Cessna 180, registered N9388C, was substantially damaged in an accident near Aurora, Illinois (Aurora Municipal airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 8, 1982 · about 7:30 pm local time
- Place
- Aurora, Illinois · Aurora Municipal
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 180 · all 180s on the register
- Registration
- N9388C · no longer on the register · serial 31786
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ON TAKEOFF THE AIRCRAFT VEERED OFF THE SIDE OF THE RUNWAY AND STRUCK A DRAINAGE DITCH. THE PILOT REPORTED A GUST OF WIND CAUGHT THE AIRCRAFT.
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: single-engine land
- Flight time: 486 hours in all; 304 in this make and model; 25 in the last 90 days; 381 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,458 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,650 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470J (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ARR Aurora IL at 2:30 pm
- Destination: ARR Aurora IL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 36, 3,200 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 280° at 18 knots
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; scat at 4,000 ft
- Temperature: 158°F (70°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:45 pm from ARR
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.
Other NTSB records under N9388C the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.