Cessna 180 accident near Belmar, New Jersey, June 11, 2017
On June 11, 2017 at about 4:30 pm local time, a 1977 Cessna 180, registered N71MH, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Belmar, New Jersey (Monmouth Executive 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s failure to maintain directional control while landing in gusting wind conditions.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 11, 2017 · about 4:30 pm local time
- Place
- Belmar, New Jersey · Monmouth Executive · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 180 K, built 1977 · all 180s on the register
- Registration
- N71MH · registry record · serial 18052965
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot of the tailwheel-equipped airplane reported that, during the landing and as the left main landing gear (MLG) touched down, the airplane encountered a wind gust and then veered "abruptly" left. He added that, as the right MLG touched down, the airplane "began skidding to the left," and the right MLG collapsed. Subsequently, the airplane came to rest on the left side of the runway and nosed down. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The automated weather observation system at the airport reported that, about the time of the accident, the wind was from 260° at 10 knots, gusting to 15 knots. The pilot landed the airplane on runway 32.
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
- Other weather encounter during landing
- Loss of control on ground during landing defining event
- Landing gear collapse during landing
- 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
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Gusts › Effect on operation
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 1,132 hours in all; 681 in this make and model; 48 in the last 90 days; 15 in the last 30 days; 1,071 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: June 10, 2016
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,722.5 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 18, 2017
- Maximum gross weight: 2,800 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Cont Motor IO-550-D (piston); 1,037 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: BLM Belmar NJ at 4:00 pm
- Destination: BLM Belmar NJ
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 32, 7,371 ft by 85 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 260° at 10 knots, gusting 15
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 90°F (32°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 30.07 inHg
- Observation at 4:56 pm from BLM
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 |
Other NTSB records under N71MH the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number GAA17CA339.