Cessna 180 accident near Devils Lake, North Dakota, May 26, 1991
On May 26, 1991 at about 1:30 pm local time, a Cessna 180, registered N115F, was substantially damaged in an accident near Devils Lake, North Dakota (Devils Lake airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
DIRECTIONAL CONTROL NOT MAINTAINED BY THE PILOT. A FACTOR RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WAS A CROSSWIND CONDITION.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 26, 1991 · about 1:30 pm local time
- Place
- Devils Lake, North Dakota · Devils Lake · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 180 · all 180s on the register
- Registration
- N115F · registry record · serial 50495
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT SAID THAT WHILE LANDING, IN A LIGHT RIGHT CROSSWIND, HIS LEFT FOOT SLIPPED OFF THE RUDDER PEDAL. A LOSS OF DIRECTIONAL CONTROL RESULTED WHICH ENDED UP IN A GROUND LOOP. THE ACFT SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE LEFT WING, LOWER CABIN AREA AND PROPELLER.
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: 284 hours in all; 185 in this make and model; 76 in the last 90 days; 19 in the last 30 days; 219 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,650 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470-K (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 13, 5,500 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 190° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 1,200 ft; not recorded at 1,200 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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 N115F 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.