Cessna 180 accident near North Las Vegas, Nevada, July 28, 2000
On July 28, 2000 at about 4:10 pm local time, a Cessna 180, registered N3386D, was substantially damaged in an accident near North Las Vegas, Nevada (North Las Vegas 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).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's improper recovery from a bounced landing and subsequent failure to maintain directional control of the aircraft. Wind shear on landing approach was a factor in the accident.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 28, 2000 · about 4:10 pm local time
- Place
- North Las Vegas, Nevada · North Las Vegas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 180 · all 180s on the register
- Registration
- N3386D · no longer on the register · serial 32184
- 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 he encountered wind shear and developed a high sink rate during an otherwise normal landing approach. A bounced landing resulted and, during the attempt to recover from the bounce, the aircraft bounced again and veered off the runway. The right-hand main landing gear separated and the aircraft came to rest off the runway. Tire marks on the runway indicated that the aircraft first landed about 1,600 feet from the approach end of the runway and then veered off the runway about 200 feet further down the runway. Marks in the dirt indicated that the airplane then paralleled the runway for about 500 feet before becoming airborne again and travelling another 250 feet before coming to rest.
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
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; multi-engine sea; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 5,200 hours in all; 250 in this make and model; 30 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 4,800 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,500 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 1, 2000; 15 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470K (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: F70 Temecula CA at 2:15 pm
- Destination: VGT
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 7, 5,005 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 4 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 20,000 ft
- Temperature: 201°F (94°C), dew point 81°F (27°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:10 pm from VGT
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.
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.