Cessna 180A accident near Portales, New Mexico, November 26, 1983
On November 26, 1983 at about 6:45 pm local time, a Cessna 180A, registered N5212D, was substantially damaged in an accident near Portales, New Mexico. 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 NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 26, 1983 · about 6:45 pm local time
- Place
- Portales, New Mexico · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 180A · all 180As on the register
- Registration
- N5212D · registry record · serial 50110
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT HAD MADE A SUCCESSFUL LANDING IN AN UNIMPROVED WHEAT FIELD. THE ACFT HAD STOPPED & AS THE PLT WAS MAKING A 180 DEG TURN BACK THE WIND CAUGHT A WING CAUSING THE ACFT TO NOSE OVER ONTO ITS BACK. THE PLT STATED THAT DURING THE TURN THE RIGHT MAIN GEAR ROLLED INTO A FURROW CAUSING THE NOSE TO DIP JUST BEFORE THE WIND CAUGHT THE UPWIND WING. WIND WAS GUSTING 25 KTS.
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
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 1,042 hours in all; 888 in this make and model; 16 in the last 90 days; 16 in the last 30 days; 100 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 9,405 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 24, 1983; 16 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,650 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470K (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Amarillo TX at 4:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 20 knots, gusting 25
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 4,000 ft
- Temperature: 39°F (4°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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.