Cessna 180 accident near Hailey, Idaho, October 3, 2018
On October 3, 2018 at about 5:25 pm local time, a 1955 Cessna 180, registered N180BG, was substantially damaged in an accident near Hailey, Idaho (Friedman Memorial 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 during takeoff in gusting crosswind conditions.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 3, 2018 · about 5:25 pm local time
- Place
- Hailey, Idaho · Friedman Memorial · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 180 Undesignat, built 1955 · all 180s on the register
- Registration
- N180BG · registry record · serial 31372
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that, during takeoff in a crosswind, as the tailwheel lifted off the ground, the airplane veered left. He applied right rudder and hard right brake, but the airplane continued to weathervane. He then applied full brakes and reduced power to idle, and the airplane then departed the runway to the left and skidded sideways on gravel before coming to an abrupt stop. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage and horizontal stabilizer. 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 220° at 8 knots, gusting to 18 knots. The pilot was departing from runway 31.
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
- 300400 during nose over
- 300230 during nose over
- 300060 during nose over
- 300300 during nose over
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 › Crosswind › Effect on operation
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Gusts › Effect on operation
Pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land, single-engine sea, none, APLN, none
- Flight time: 1,553 hours in all; 1,005 in this make and model; 43 in the last 90 days; 24 in the last 30 days; 1,429 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: July 18, 2018
- Medical certificate: class 2
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,165 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, April 1, 2018
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470S (piston); 835 hours total
- Operating certificate: in the vicinity
The flight
- Departed from: SUN Hailey ID at 5:25 pm
- Destination: MAN Nampa ID
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 31, 7,550 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 220° at 8 knots, gusting 18
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 7,000 ft
- Temperature: 61°C, dew point 37°C
- Altimeter: 30.02 inHg
- Observation at 5:31 pm from KSUN
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 |
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 GAA19CA005.