Cessna 180B accident near Nocona, Texas, January 31, 1989
On January 31, 1989 at about 9:10 pm local time, a Cessna 180B, registered N59KM, was substantially damaged in an accident near Nocona, Texas (Nocona airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S DISREGARD OF THE AIRCRAFT PERFORMANCE DATA/OPERATIONAL LIMITATIONS BY LANDING IN EXCESS OF THE CROSSWIND CAPABILITY OF THE AIRCRAFT, AND THE RESULTANT LOSS OF DIRECTIONAL CONTROL DURING THE LANDING ROLL.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 31, 1989 · about 9:10 pm local time
- Place
- Nocona, Texas · Nocona
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 180B · all 180Bs on the register
- Registration
- N59KM · registry record · serial 50590
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 13,000 hours in all; 344 in this make and model; 100 in the last 90 days; 45 in the last 30 days; 4,000 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,795 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 5, 1988; 6 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,650 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-480-K (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: DAL Dallas TX at 8:20 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 14, 3,200 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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.
Other NTSB records under N59KM 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.