Cessna 180 accident near Nashua, New Hampshire, July 4, 2017
On July 4, 2017 at about 1:03 pm local time, a 1975 Cessna 180, registered N9961N, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Nashua, New Hampshire (Boire Field). 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).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain 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
- July 4, 2017 · about 1:03 pm local time
- Place
- Nashua, New Hampshire · Boire Field · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 180 J, built 1975 · all 180s on the register
- Registration
- N9961N · no longer on the register · serial 18052616
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot of the airplane reported that the en route portion of the cross-country flight was uneventful and that conditions were "good." Following a normal approach and landing, he lost directional control of the airplane. The airplane ground looped and came to rest at the right edge of the runway in grass. During the accident sequence, the left main landing gear separated from the fuselage, and the left wing and propeller contacted the ground. A Federal Aviation Administration inspector examined the wreckage and reported that the airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage and left wing. The pilot reported that there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or anomalies 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 (landing roll) defining event
- Runway excursion during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 208 hours in all; 59 in this make and model; 6 in the last 90 days; 208 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: June 23, 2017
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,700 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 23, 2016; 60 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,800 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Cont Motor O-470 (piston); 1,700 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PSM Portsmouth NH at 12:30 pm
- Destination: ASH Nashua NH
- Flight plan: not recorded
- Runway 32, 6,000 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 310° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 30.07 inHg
- Observation at 12:56 pm from ASH
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
3 documents, released by the NTSB on September 20, 2017. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | NTSB Memorandum for Record - FAA Inspector Statement | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Photo Array | PDF, 4 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.