Cessna 180 accident near Colusa, California, June 4, 1990
On June 4, 1990 at about 1:30 am local time, a Cessna 180, registered N21Y, was substantially damaged in an accident near Colusa, California (Colusa County airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL DURING TOUCHDOWN.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 4, 1990 · about 1:30 am local time · cases in 1990
- Place
- Colusa, California · Colusa County · cases near this airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 180 · all 180s on the register
- Registration
- N21Y · registry record · serial 30837
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AT THE TIME OF THE PILOT'S DEPARTURE HE WAS AWARE THAT THE LOCAL SURFACE WIND WAS STRONG ENOUGH TO REQUIRE BRAKES TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL DURING THE TAKEOFF ROLL. AN HOUR LATER UPON THE PILOT'S RETURN HE MADE A FULL FLAP LANDING. THE PILOT REPORTED HE WAS AWARE THE WIND WAS 90 DEGREES TO THE RUNWAY. THE AIRCRAFT ENCOUNTERED A STRONG GUST OF WIND. THE PILOT LOST DIRECTIONAL CONTROL, VEERED OFF THE RUNWAY, WENT INTO A DITCH AND NOSED OVER.
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: 5,000 hours in all; 500 in this make and model; 20 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 5,000 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470-J (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 31, 3,000 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 100 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N21Y on the register today · the tail number may have moved to another aircraft since
- Cessna 180 Skywagon 2,604 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Cessna 72,677 aircraft on the register
- Engine: Continental O-470-J 6 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Accidents and incidents in California 9,080 since 1982 · 1,096 in the last ten years
- California 28,112 aircraft registered
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/LAX90LA207.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.