Cessna 180 accident near Columbia, California, June 9, 2002
On June 9, 2002 at about 9:15 pm local time, a Cessna 180, registered N2228C, was substantially damaged in an accident near Columbia, California (Columbia 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 encountered a crosswind gust during the landing roll, resulting in a ground loop and nose over.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 9, 2002 · about 9:15 pm local time
- Place
- Columbia, California · Columbia · 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
- N2228C · no longer on the register · serial 30528
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The plane encountered a wind disturbance resulting in a ground loop and the airplane coming to rest inverted. While on the landing roll the gust caught the left wing and tail, lifting it off the ground. The tail continued to lift until the prop struck the ground, and flipped the airplane over. The pilot stated the AWOS reported the winds to be 290 at 8 knots gusting to 15 knots. The airport has two runways, and are on a magnetic heading of 170-350 and 110-290. Runway 11-29 is 2,600 feet long and 100 feet wide, and is turf.
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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 373 hours in all; 91 in this make and model; 5 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 373 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: December 2, 2000
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,504.4 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 9, 2001; 15.4 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PAO Palo Alto CA at 8:30 pm
- Destination: KO22 Columbia CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 35, 4,670 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 310° at 20 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 30°F (-1°C)
- Altimeter: 29.82 inHg
- Observation at 9:53 pm from MOD, 35 miles away
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.