Cessna 180K accident near Las Vegas, Nevada, July 28, 1983
On July 28, 1983 at about 4:37 pm local time, a Cessna 180K, registered N2572K, was substantially damaged in an accident near Las Vegas, Nevada (North Las Vegas airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 28, 1983 · about 4:37 pm local time
- Place
- Las Vegas, Nevada · North Las Vegas
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 180K · all 180Ks on the register
- Registration
- N2572K · registry record · serial 18052994
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT REPORTED THAT DURING TOUCHDOWN, HE HEARD A LOUD SQUEAL FROM A TIRE & FELT THE AIRCRAFT PULL TO THE LEFT. HE STATED THAT HE APPLIED RIGHT AILERON & RUDDER TO KEEP THE ACFT GOING STRAIGHT. HOWEVER, AS THE ACFT SLOWED, IT BEGAN TO VEER LEFT AGAIN. HE SAID THE LEFT TIRE THEN LITERALLY EXPLODED. THE LEFT GEAR STRUT COLLAPSED & THE PROP & LEFT WING TIP CONTACTED THE RUNWAY. THE ACFT THEN VEERED TO THE RIGHT & WENT OFF THE RWY. HOWEVER, THE AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL SPECIALISTS WORKING LOCAL & GROUND CONTROL SAID THEY OBSERVED THE ACFT LAND HARD WITH THE LEFT WING DOWN, BOUNCE ONTO ITS LEFT GEAR, COME BACK DOWN ON THE RWY & DEPART THE RWY AS THE WHEEL SEPARATED. AN EXAM REVEALED THE LEFT MAIN TIRE WAS TORN OR RIPPED ACROSS THE TREAD, SIDEWALL & BOTH BEADS. THE INNER TUBE SHOWED SIMILAR DAMAGE. NO FLAT SPOTS WERE NOTED. THE WHEEL ASSEMBLY WAS FRACTURED & BROKEN, BUT NO PRE-FRACTURE EVIDENCE OF DEFECTS WAS NOTED.
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: 562 hours in all; 92 in this make and model; 20 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 488 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 13, 1982; 69 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,800 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470-U (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: U42 Salt Lake City UT at 1:45 pm
- Destination: OCN Oceanside
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 7, 5,006 ft by 90 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 060° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 37°F (3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:46 pm from LAS, 16 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.