Cessna 180 accident near Flannigan, Nevada, October 15, 2019
On October 15, 2019 at about 6:00 pm local time, a 1957 Cessna 180, registered N180JL, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Flannigan, Nevada (Dead Cow Lakebed Airstrip airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were 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 the landing roll, which resulted in a wing strike.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 15, 2019 · about 6:00 pm local time
- Place
- Flannigan, Nevada · Dead Cow Lakebed Airstrip · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 180 A, built 1957 · all 180s on the register
- Registration
- N180JL · registry record · serial 32858
- 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 the landing roll on the flat, soft dirt, dry lakebed, he "could not get full deflection of the left brake as it felt as if something were underneath the pedal." The airplane veered right, and the right wing struck the ground. The airplane bounced, and the left wing struck the ground. When the airplane stopped, the pilot could not find any objects that could have impeded the range of pedal movement. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions 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 (landing roll) defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (landing roll)
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
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 289 hours in all; 115 in this make and model; 212 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: November 27, 2017
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,473 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 9, 2018
- Maximum gross weight: 2,250 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470-50 (piston); 265 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SVE Sussanville CA at 5:30 pm
- Destination: n/a Flannigan NV
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 100° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 2,300 ft
- Temperature: 86°F (30°C), dew point 75°F (24°C)
- Altimeter: 29.98 inHg
- Observation at 5:53 pm from KSVE, 34 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.
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 documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text 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 GAA20CA029.