Cessna 180 accident near Burlington, Vermont, June 22, 2020
On June 22, 2020 at about 7:15 pm local time, a 1967 Cessna 180, registered N7955V, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Burlington, Vermont (Burlington Intl 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 control during landing roll in crosswind conditions.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 22, 2020 · about 7:15 pm local time
- Place
- Burlington, Vermont · Burlington Intl · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 180 H, built 1967 · all 180s on the register
- Registration
- N7955V · registry record · serial 18051855
- 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 tailwheel-equipped airplane reported that he was performing touch-and-go landings. While performing a three-point landing on the center of the runway, a gust of wind struck the airplane from the right. The airplane initially swerved slightly, then rapidly to the right and the left wing contacted the ground. The pilot then taxied the airplane back to the ramp uneventfully. The left wing and elevator were substantially damaged during the accident. The pilot stated there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures of the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The recorded wind conditions at the time of the accident included a 50° right crosswind at 7 knots.
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
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Crosswind › Response/compensation
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 323.3 hours in all; 133.3 in this make and model; 4.5 in the last 90 days; 4.5 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: December 23, 2019
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,053.6 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 19, 2010
- Maximum gross weight: 2,800 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470 SERIES (piston); 4,054 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: BTV Burlington VT at 4:00 pm
- Destination: BTV Burlington VT
- Runway 15, 8,319 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 200° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 7,000 ft
- Temperature: 91°F (33°C), dew point 59°F (15°C)
- Altimeter: 29.87 inHg
- Observation at 5:54 pm
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
3 documents, released by the NTSB on January 21, 2021. 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 | Memorandum for Record A�� Telephone Interview, Pilot | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Damage Photographs | 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.
Other NTSB records under N7955V the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.