Cessna 180 accident near Santa Fe, New Mexico, June 7, 2019
On June 7, 2019 at about 2:55 pm local time, a 1974 Cessna 180, registered N180V, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Santa Fe, New Mexico (Santa Fe Muni 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 with a crosswind, which resulted in a wing strike.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 7, 2019 · about 2:55 pm local time
- Place
- Santa Fe, New Mexico · Santa Fe Muni · 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 1974 · all 180s on the register
- Registration
- N180V · registry record · serial 18052507
- 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 a left crosswind existed during the landing roll on the asphalt surface. When the tailwheel contacted the runway, the airplane's left wing lifted, and the right wing struck the ground. The airplane exited the runway to the left and stopped. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
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
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing
- Runway excursion during landing
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- cause Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Crosswind › Effect on operation
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,444 hours in all; 207 in this make and model; 23 in the last 90 days; 9 in the last 30 days; 3,273 as pilot in command; 272 on instruments
- Last flight review: August 3, 2018
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,900 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 17, 2018
- Maximum gross weight: 3,190 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470 U/TS (piston); 2,960 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SAF Santa Fe NM at 1:50 pm
- Destination: SAF Santa Fe NM
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 20, 8,366 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 150° at 14 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 12,000 ft
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 34°F (1°C)
- Altimeter: 30.05 inHg
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.