Cessna 180 accident near Halifax, North Carolina, February 20, 2013
On February 20, 2013 at about 7:00 pm local time, a Cessna 180, registered N9411C, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Halifax, North Carolina (Halifax-Northampton Regional airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's decision to land in gusty crosswind conditions, which resulted in a loss of airplane directional control during the landing roll.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 20, 2013 · about 7:00 pm local time
- Place
- Halifax, North Carolina · Halifax-Northampton Regional · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 180 · all 180s on the register
- Registration
- N9411C · no longer on the register · serial 31809
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the pilot, after landing with a 90-degree crosswind at 10 knots, gusting to 15 knots, the wind lifted the left wing, and the airplane "skipped" to the right about three or four times before the left main landing gear collapsed. The airplane came to rest 180 degrees from the runway heading. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage landing gear bulkhead assembly, landing gear attachment angle, and the left wing strut attachment angle. Postaccident examination revealed that the airplane first touched down between the centerline and the left edge of the runway. The airplane bounced a minimum of four times with each bounce progressively closer to the left edge of the runway. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
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
What happened, in order
- Loss of control on ground during landing defining event
- Landing gear collapse during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Crosswind correction › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Incorrect action performance › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Crosswind › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 527 hours in all; 65 in this make and model; 11 in the last 90 days
- Last flight review: June 9, 2012
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,182 hours
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Cont Motor O-470 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 78NC Varina NC at 6:00 pm
- Destination: IXA Roanoke Rapids NC
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 20, 5,500 ft by 101 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 260° at 10 knots, gusting 17
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 52°F (11°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:35 pm from IXA
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
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.