Cessna 180H accident near Welsh, Louisiana, September 1, 1988
On September 1, 1988 at about 8:30 pm local time, a Cessna 180H, registered N9730G, was substantially damaged in an accident near Welsh, Louisiana (Welsh 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 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
- September 1, 1988 · about 8:30 pm local time
- Place
- Welsh, Louisiana · Welsh · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 180H · all 180Hs on the register
- Registration
- N9730G · registry record · serial 18052230
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT WAS LANDING THE TAILWHEEL TYPE AIRPLANE ON RUNWAY 6 WHILE THE WINDS WERE FROM 270 DEGREES AT 15 KNOTS, GUSTING TO 25 KNOTS. AFTER TOUCHDOWN, IT BALLOONED SEVERAL FEET, TOUCHED ON THE LEFT WHEEL, THEN THE LEFT WING TIP AND FLIPPED FORWARD TO THE INVERTED POSITION.
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: 387 hours in all; 77 in this make and model; 51 in the last 90 days; 18 in the last 30 days; 387 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,035 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 10, 1988; 18 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,800 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470-R (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: NONE Eunice LA at 8:15 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 6, 2,700 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 15 knots, gusting 25
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 1,500 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.