Cessna 180 accident near Springdale, Arkansas, December 3, 1998
On December 3, 1998 at about 10:58 pm local time, a Cessna 180, registered N1774C, was substantially damaged in an accident near Springdale, Arkansas (Springdale Municipal 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 improper recovery from a bounced landing resulting in a ground loop. A factor was the pilot's improper landing flare.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 3, 1998 · about 10:58 pm local time · cases in 1998
- Place
- Springdale, Arkansas · Springdale Municipal · cases near this airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 180 · all 180s on the register
- Registration
- N1774C · registry record · serial 180-30474
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The private pilot lost control of the tailwheel equipped airplane during the landing roll on runway 18. Personnel at the control tower reported that the aircraft ground looped after the pilot lost directional control of the airplane after the airplane bounced. The pilot stated that the airplane bounced on touchdown and after it settled back on the runway, the airplane began a sharp left turn toward the edge of the runway. Subsequently, the right wing struck the ground and the airplane nosed over coming to rest in the inverted position on the east side of the runway. The winds at the time of the accident were reported from 190 degrees at 10 knots.
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: 77 hours in all; 30 in this make and model; 30 in the last 90 days; 15 in the last 30 days; 57 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,351 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 14, 1998; 73 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470-J (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: HEE Helena AR at 9:15 pm
- Destination: ASG
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18, 5,302 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 190° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 20,000 ft; scat at 8,000 ft
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 50°F (10°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:45 pm from ASG, 1 miles away
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 N1774C the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N1774C on the register today · the tail number may have moved to another aircraft since
- Cessna 180 Skywagon 2,604 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Cessna 72,682 aircraft on the register
- Engine: Continental O-470-J 6 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Springdale Municipal · nearest airport
- Thompson-Robbins Airport · departed from
- Accidents and incidents in Arkansas 1,582 since 1982 · 177 in the last ten years
- Arkansas 3,494 aircraft registered
- Other NTSB records under N1774C 1 records · the number may have belonged to another aircraft at the time
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/FTW99LA043.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.