Cessna 180 accident near Okeechobee, Florida, July 7, 2019
On July 7, 2019 at about 2:00 pm local time, a 1974 Cessna 180, registered N52031, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Okeechobee, Florida (Okeechobee County 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 failure to maintain directional while landing with a quartering tailwind, which resulted in a ground loop.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 7, 2019 · about 2:00 pm local time
- Place
- Okeechobee, Florida · Okeechobee County Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 180 J, built 1974 · all 180s on the register
- Registration
- N52031 · no longer on the register · serial 18052451
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The tailwheel-equipped airplane touched down on the runway centerline in a 7-knot right quartering tailwind and started to drift left. The pilot corrected with right rudder input, but the airplane started to drift left again. He then applied right brake and rudder input, and the airplane changed direction 30°; however, the left wing and left horizontal stabilizer contacted the runway before the airplane came to a stop. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing, left elevator, and left horizontal stabilizer. The pilot reported that there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions with the airplane.
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
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Tailwind › Effect on operation
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot, flight engineer
- Ratings: multi-engine land; multi-engine sea; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: helicopter; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 25,179 hours in all; 5,000 in this make and model; 10 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days; 20,000 as pilot in command; 5,000 on instruments
- Last flight review: June 2, 2018
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 20 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 10, 2019; 5,579 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,800 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470 (piston); 5,579 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: FXE Fort Lauderdale FL at 1:00 pm
- Destination: OBE Okeechobee FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 05, 5,000 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 200° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 8,000 ft; scat at 2,000 ft
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 75°F (24°C)
- Altimeter: 30.04 inHg
- Observation at 1:55 pm from KOBE
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
3 documents, released by the NTSB on August 20, 2019. 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, 11 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Weather Report | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Photo Array | PDF, 3 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.