Cessna 180 accident near Austin, Texas, May 10, 2007
On May 10, 2007 at about 11:46 pm local time, a Cessna 180, registered N2209C, was substantially damaged in an accident near Austin, Texas (Lakeway Airpark 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 loss of engine power as result of carburetor icing. Contributing factors were the lack of suitable terrain for the forced landing and the weather conditions conducive to carburetor icing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 10, 2007 · about 11:46 pm local time
- Place
- Austin, Texas · Lakeway Airpark · 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
- N2209C · no longer on the register · serial 30509
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot experience a complete loss of engine power while the airplane was established on the base leg of the traffic pattern at his destination airport. The 337-nautical mile flight originated in another state about 3 hours earlier. The 300-hour private pilot elected to execute a forced landing to a golf course; however, shortly before touchdown, the tailwheel-equipped airplane collided with mature trees and subsequently impacted the ground. The airplane came to rest in the upright position and the pilot and both passengers were able to exit the airplane unassisted. An examination of the airplane's engine by a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector did not revealed any pre-impact anomalies or discrepancies. Additionally, aviation fuel was present at the accident site. The pilot, who reported having accumulated a total of 250-hours in the same make and model, stated that he did not utilize the carburetor heat during his descent or while in the traffic pattern. A carburetor icing probability chart obtained from a DOT/FAA/CT-82/44 publication predicts the possibility of serious carburetor icing at glide power under the weather conditions that prevailed at the time of the accident (temperature 80 degrees Fahrenheit, dew point of 55 degrees Fahrenheit).
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: 300 hours in all; 250 in this make and model; 20 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: June 1, 2005
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 1, 2007
- Maximum gross weight: 2,555 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-520 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ROW Roswell NM at 9:00 pm
- Destination: 3R9 Austin TX
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 290° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 29.88 inHg
- Observation at 11:51 pm from ATT, 16 miles away
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.