Cessna 180 accident near Corona, California, April 23, 2005
On April 23, 2005 at about 10:00 pm local time, a Cessna 180, registered N270KC, was substantially damaged in an accident near Corona, California (Corona 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 inadequate compensation for a crosswind/wind gust condition and his failure to maintain directional control during landing rollout.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 23, 2005 · about 10:00 pm local time
- Place
- Corona, California · Corona · 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
- N270KC · registry record · serial 31505
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane ground looped off the runway during landing and collided with a VASI light fixture. During landing rollout on runway 25, the pilot encountered a 16- to 20-knot wind gust from 240 degrees, and he lost directional control of his airplane. The airplane veered off the runway, and it impacted the visual approach slope indicator (VASI) lights. The pilot's approach, touchdown, and the initial portion of the rollout had been normal. A wind gust was encountered during the latter portion of the rollout. A witness, who was standing on the tarmac, reported that the wind was gusting to 20 knots about the time of the accident. The pilot reported that he had not experienced any mechanical malfunction or failure with his airplane.
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: 300 hours in all; 25 in this make and model; 25 in the last 90 days; 25 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3
The aircraft
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470J (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: L65 Perris Valley CA
- Destination: AJO Corona CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 25, 3,200 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 260° at 12 knots, gusting 19
- Visibility: 8 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 15,000 ft
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 45°F (7°C)
- Altimeter: 29.88 inHg
- Observation at 9:53 pm from CNO, 6 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.