Cessna 180K accident near Salinas, California, September 24, 1984
On September 24, 1984 at about 8:26 pm local time, a Cessna 180K, registered N66039, was substantially damaged in an accident near Salinas, California (Salinas Municipal 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 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
- September 24, 1984 · about 8:26 pm local time
- Place
- Salinas, California · Salinas Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 180K · all 180Ks on the register
- Registration
- N66039 · no longer on the register · serial 18052910
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT STATED THAT HE LANDED ON RWY 26 AND AFTER THE ACFT SLOWED DOWN TO APRX 15 TO 20 KTS, A GUST OF WIND LIFTED THE RT WING AND THE ACFT VEERED TO THE RT. THE PLT WAS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL AND THE ACFT GROUND LOOPED COLLAPSING THE LEFT MAIN GEAR. THE WIND WAS REPORTED AS 340 DEGREES AT 11 KTS.
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: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 4,752 hours in all; 20 in this make and model; 240 in the last 90 days; 4,025 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 277 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 28, 1984; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,650 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470-U (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SNS Salinas CA at 8:15 pm
- Destination: SNG Salinas CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 26, 4,995 ft by 200 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 340° at 11 knots
- Visibility: 35 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 28°F (-2°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:26 pm from SNS
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.
Other NTSB records under N66039 the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.