Cessna 180K accident near Santa Rosa Island, California, December 22, 1983
On December 22, 1983 at about 4:00 pm local time, a Cessna 180K, registered N2697K, was substantially damaged in an accident near Santa Rosa Island, California (Private airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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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 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 22, 1983 · about 4:00 pm local time
- Place
- Santa Rosa Island, California · Private · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 180K · all 180Ks on the register
- Registration
- N2697K · registry record · serial 180053038
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ACCORDING TO THE PLT, THE NOSE OF THE ACFT FELT HEAVY JUST BEFORE LIFT-OFF & WHEN HE BECAME AIRBORNE. HE FELT SOMETHING WAS WRONG WITH THE TAIL OF THE ACFT & THAT HE WAS UNABLE TO OBTAIN FULL ELEVATOR RESPONSE, SO HE ABORTED THE TAKEOFF. THE ACFT ROLLED 300 TO 400 FT AFTER LANDING NOSE LOW. THE PLT REPORTED THAT HE ATTEMPTED TO MAINTAIN FULL UP ELEVATOR & USED MODERATE BRAKING. DURING THE LAST 30 TO 50 FT, THE PROP MADE NUMEROUS GROUND STRIKES BEFORE THE WHEELS STRUCK A DEPRESSION & THE ACFT NOSED OVER. AN EXAM OF THE ACFT REVEALED NO DISCREPANCIES. THE PLT STATED THAT THE ELEVATOR TRIM WAS IN THE CENTER (TAKEOFF) POSITION.
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
- AIRFRAME/COMPONENT/SYSTEM FAILURE/MALFUNCTION during takeoff
- OVERRUN during takeoff
- NOSE OVER during takeoff
Pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land, single-engine sea, APLN
- Flight time: 2,929 hours in all; 697 in this make and model; 43 in the last 90 days; 2,879 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: class 3
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 783 hours
- Last inspection: type not recorded, March 1, 1983
- Maximum gross weight: 2,800 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470-U (piston); 0 hours total
- Operating certificate: in the vicinity
The flight
- Destination: OXR Oxnard CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 34, 1,800 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 330° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 61°C, dew point 0°C
- Altimeter: 30 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
Other NTSB records under N2697K the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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 docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site 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 LAX84LA110.