Cub Crafters CC18 180 accident near Westfield Township, Ohio, March 28, 2015
On March 28, 2015 at about 11:58 pm local time, a 2006 Cub Crafters CC18 180, registered N550BS, was substantially damaged in an accident during approach (VFR pattern final) near Westfield Township, Ohio (Crazy Bob'S Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s failure to maintain clearance from trees during a base-to-final turn while landing toward the sun.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 28, 2015 · about 11:58 pm local time
- Place
- Westfield Township, Ohio · Crazy Bob'S Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cub Crafters CC18 180 NO SERIES, built 2006 · all CC18 180s on the register
- Registration
- N550BS · no longer on the register · serial CC18-0015
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the pilot, he departed on a cross-country flight to his home airport. He planned to arrive about sunset and land to the west. The pilot's last recollection of the events leading up to the accident was initiating a right turn from the base to final leg in the traffic pattern. The airplane wreckage was found inverted on the runway, adjacent to a tree line near the approach end. A semicircular, concave indentation on the leading edge of the right wing exhibited wood and paint transfer marks consistent with marks found on a severed treetop and branches at the initial point of impact. It is likely that the pilot misjudged the airplane's height above the trees when he turned onto final and was flying toward the setting sun.
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
What happened, in order
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during approach (VFR pattern base)
- Loss of control in flight during approach (VFR pattern final) defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Psychological › Attention/monitoring › Monitoring environment › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Altitude › Not attained/maintained
- cause Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Light condition › Glare › Effect on personnel
- cause Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Tree(s) › Awareness of condition
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 8,200 hours in all; 1,000 in this make and model; 40 in the last 90 days; 25 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: February 11, 2014
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 322 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 14, 2014
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-C4P (piston); 322 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: LPR Lorain/Elyria OH at 11:30 pm
- Destination: 2OI4 Westfield Township OH
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 27, 1,600 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: from 330° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 25°F (-4°C), dew point 10°F (-12°C)
- Altimeter: 30.28 inHg
- Observation at 11:56 pm from BJJ, 10 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.