Cessna 180 accident near Backoo, North Dakota, May 19, 1982
On May 19, 1982 at about 1:45 am local time, a Cessna 180, registered N2195C, was substantially damaged in an accident near Backoo, North Dakota. 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).
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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 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 19, 1982 · about 1:45 am local time
- Place
- Backoo, North Dakota
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 180 · all 180s on the register
- Registration
- N2195C · registry record · serial 18031314
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT FLEW TO THE VICINTIY OF HIS DESTINATION BY FOLLOWING THE PATH OF RECENT SHOWERS. HE WAS A FARMER AND WAS INTERESTED IN THE AMOUNT OF STANDING WATER. HE HAD ARRANGED TO FLY OVER A FRIEND'S HOUSE SO THE FRIEND WOULD PICK HIM UP AT THE AIRPORT. AFTER FLYING OVER THE HOUSE AND HEADING FOR THE AIRPORT, THE ENGINE BEGAN RUNNING ROUGH. THE PILOT ENRICHED THE MIXTURE, BUT ONLY MOMENTARILY APPLIED CARBURETOR HEAT. NEITHER SEEMED TO CHANGE THE WAY THE ENGINE WAS RUNNING, SO HE ELECTED TO LAND ON A ROAD NEAR THE FRIEND'S HOUSE. REPORTEDLY, HE HAD OPERATED THE ENGINE AT 16 INCHES MANIFOLD PRESSURE AND 2100 RPM FOR THE ENTIRE FLIGHT AND MADE NO CHANGES IN HIS POWER SETTING. WHILE LANDING ON A ROAD WITH A RIGHT CROSS WIND, THE LEFT GEAR ENCOUNTERED A SOFT SHOULDER. THE PLANE VEERED INTO A DITCH, THEN FLIPPED OVER. AN EXAMINATION OF THE AIRCRAFT AND ENGINE REVEALED NO PRE-IMPACT MALFUNCTIONS. THE TEMPERATURE WAS 59 DEGREES; AT THAT TEMPERATURE, CARBURETOR ICING CONDITIONS WOULD BE PROBABLE IN MOIST AIR.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 904 hours in all; 18 in this make and model; 18 in the last 90 days; 742 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 25,106 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 201 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,800 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470-J (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ND59 St. Thomas ND at 7:45 pm
- Destination: ND06 Cavalier ND
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 300° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 2,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 138°F (59°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:50 pm from GFK, 50 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 DEN82DA091.