Cessna 180 accident near Charleston, West Virginia, March 5, 2026
On March 5, 2026 at about 4:26 pm local time, a 1955 Cessna 180, registered N2648Y, was substantially damaged in an accident during taxi near Charleston, West Virginia (West Virginia Intl Yeager airport). 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 inadequate visual lookout, which resulted in a collision with a helicopter dolly during taxi.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 5, 2026 · about 4:26 pm local time
- Place
- Charleston, West Virginia · West Virginia Intl Yeager · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 180, built 1955 · all 180s on the register
- Registration
- N2648Y · registry record · serial 31676
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
After maintenance had been completed on the tailwheel-equipped airplane, the pilot performed a preflight inspection, after which the airplane was pushed from the hangar area and onto the airport ramp. The pilot then began to taxi the airplane between a parked van and a helicopter dolly. During the taxi, the airplane struck the helicopter dolly, resulting in substantial damage to the underside of the fuselage. The pilot reported that there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures of 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
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during taxi defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Ground equipment › Awareness of condition
- Personnel issues › Psychological › Attention/monitoring › Monitoring environment › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- 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; instructor: instrument helicopter; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 15,465 hours in all; 70 in this make and model; 21 in the last 90 days; 1 in the last 30 days; 14,893 as pilot in command; 794 on instruments
- Last flight review: May 20, 2025
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,776 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 3, 2026; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470-K (piston); 2,536 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 5, 6,715 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 230° at 11 knots, gusting 19
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 9,500 ft; a few clouds at 3,500 ft
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 30.09 inHg
- Observation at 10:54 am from CRW, 1 miles away
Weather report (METAR): METAR KCRW 051554Z 23011G19KT 10SM FEW035 SCT070 BKN095 22/13 A3009 RMK AO2 SLP187 T02170133
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The NTSB has not released the docket for this case yet. The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), is usually released when the investigation is nearly complete, and the list here is refreshed when it appears. Check 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.