Cessna 180 accident near New Durham, New Hampshire, July 6, 2016
On July 6, 2016 at about 5:30 pm local time, a 1976 Cessna 180, registered N767MH, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near New Durham, New Hampshire (Merrymeeting Lake 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 pilot's failure to maintain directional control during landing after encountering a boat wake, which resulted in the airplane veering left, impacting the water's surface, and subsequently becoming submerged.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 6, 2016 · about 5:30 pm local time
- Place
- New Durham, New Hampshire · Merrymeeting Lake · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 180 J, built 1976 · all 180s on the register
- Registration
- N767MH · no longer on the register · serial 18052699
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot of a float-equipped airplane reported that immediately after touch down, the float plane encountered a boat wake, veered sharply to the left, water-looped, and became submerged inverted. The float plane sustained substantial damage to the left wing. According to the pilot there were no preimpact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot reported that the wake that his float plane encountered which precipitated the water-loop may have been generated by a boat that is used by a local ski school.
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
- Loss of control on ground during landing defining event
- Nose over/nose down during landing
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- cause Environmental issues › Physical environment › Runway/land/takeoff/taxi surface › Choppy surface › Effect on operation
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 28,000 hours in all; 1,340 in this make and model; 8 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days; 20,000 as pilot in command; 500 on instruments
- Last flight review: August 10, 2015
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,033 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 4, 2016; 8 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,950 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470-S (piston); 1,450 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 3B5 Turner ME at 5:00 pm
- Destination: 3B5 Turner ME
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 260° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 7,000 ft
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 29.80 inHg
- Observation at 7:56 pm from KLCI, 13 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
2 documents, released by the NTSB on October 6, 2016. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Accident Photo (Courtesy of FAA) | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.