Cessna 180 accident near Boulder, Colorado, March 28, 1989
On March 28, 1989 at about 5:20 pm local time, a Cessna 180, registered N4756B, was substantially damaged in an accident near Boulder, Colorado (Boulder 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
THE PILOT'S INADEQUATE COMPENSATION FOR WIND CONDITIONS, FAILING TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL, AND INADVERTENT GROUND SWERVE. GUSTY CROSSWINDS CONTRIBUTED TO THE ACCIDENT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 28, 1989 · about 5:20 pm local time
- Place
- Boulder, Colorado · Boulder · 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
- N4756B · no longer on the register · serial 31654
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
BEFORE TAKEOFF, THE PLT NOTICED THE WIND WAS VARIABLE AT 10 KTS. HE RPRTD THAT DRG THE TAKEOFF ROLL, THE ACFT BEGAN TO TURN LEFT. HE ATTEMPTED TO CORRECT WITH RUDDER AND BRAKE, BUT TO NO AVAIL. HE REDUCED POWER & ABORTED THE TAKEOFF. HOWEVER, THE ACFT DEPARTED THE RWY TO THE LEFT & THE RIGHT MAIN GEAR FAILED. THE PLT RPRTD THAT AFTER THE ACDNT, THE WIND WAS FROM THE NORTH WITH GUSTS TO 15 KTS.
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: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot, flight engineer
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 9,903 hours in all; 650 in this make and model; 194 in the last 90 days; 72 in the last 30 days; 7,905 as pilot in command; 2,215 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 1V5 at 5:20 pm
- Destination: 1V5
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 8, 4,100 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 10 knots, gusting 15
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 10,000 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.
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.