Cessna 180B accident near Sanger, Texas, April 9, 1995
On April 9, 1995 at about 11:00 pm local time, a Cessna 180B, registered N5181E, was destroyed in an accident near Sanger, Texas. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S PERFORMANCE OF A LOW ALTITUDE MANEUVER AND HIS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN AIRCRAFT CONTROL. A FACTOR WAS THE GUSTY WIND.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 9, 1995 · about 11:00 pm local time
- Place
- Sanger, Texas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 180B · all 180Bs on the register
- Registration
- N5181E · registry record · serial 50481
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ONE WITNESS OBSERVED THE AIRPLANE CLIMB TO 200 TO 300 FEET AGL, ENTER A STEEP RIGHT TURN, COME OUT OF THE TURN 'UPSIDE DOWN', AND THEN 'NOSE STRAIGHT DOWN AND PLOW INTO THE GROUND.' ANOTHER WITNESS STATED THE AIRPLANE 'CAME OUT OF A ROLL-OVER AND PLUNGED STRAIGHT TO THE GROUND.' THE AIRPLANE'S FINAL TURN WAS FROM A SOUTHERLY, OR UPWIND, HEADING TO A NORTHERLY, OR DOWNWIND, HEADING. WITNESSES REPORTED 'STRONG AND GUSTING' WINDS OF '35 TO 45 MPH' OUT OF THE SOUTH. IMPACT WAS NEAR VERTICAL AND ALL MAJOR COMPONENTS OF THE AIRPLANE WERE FOUND WITHIN 40 FEET OF THE INITIAL GROUND SCAR. EXAMINATION OF THE AIRPLANE AND ENGINE DID NOT DISCLOSE ANY STRUCTURAL OR MECHANICAL ANOMALIES.
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: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot, flight engineer
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 5,500 hours in all; 81 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,280 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 3, 1994; 37 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,650 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470-K (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: TX32 at 10:55 pm
- Destination: 52F Roanoke TX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 170° at 18 knots, gusting 25
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:50 pm from DFW, 30 miles away
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.