Cessna 180H accident near San Carlos, California, August 21, 1990
On August 21, 1990 at about 9:45 pm local time, a Cessna 180H, registered N2790X, was substantially damaged in an accident near San Carlos, California (San Carlos 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).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT DURING THE LANDING. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE PILOT'S LACK OF TOTAL EXPERIENCE IN TAILWHEEL AIRCRAFT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 21, 1990 · about 9:45 pm local time · cases in 1990
- Place
- San Carlos, California · San Carlos · cases near this airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 180H · all 180Hs on the register
- Registration
- N2790X · no longer on the register · serial 51590
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, THE AIRCRAFT WAS IN A THREE POINT LANDING FLARE ATTITUDE JUST ABOVE THE RUNWAY WHEN THE NOSE BEGAN TO YAW TO THE RIGHT. THE PILOT SAID THAT HE APPLIED A LEFT RUDDER INPUT TO CORRECT THE YAW; HOWEVER, THE AIRCRAFT TOUCHED DOWN PRIOR TO THE RUDDER INPUT CORRECTING THE YAW ANGLE. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT AFTER THE MAIN WHEELS TOUCHED THE RUNWAY HE LOST CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT AND IT GROUND LOOPED. EXAMINATION OF THE PILOT'S REPORTED FLIGHT TIME REVEALED THAT HE HAS LESS THAN 30 HOURS OF TIME IN THE CESSNA 180H AIRCRAFT, AND, LESS THAN 50 HOURS OF TOTAL TAIL WHEEL FLIGHT EXPERIENCE.
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: 122 hours in all; 29 in this make and model; 10 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days; 56 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: 2,900 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470-R (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: WVI Watsonville CA at 9:20 pm
- Destination: SQL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 30, 2,600 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 360° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 25 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:45 pm from SQL
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.
Other NTSB records under N2790X the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N2790X: not on the register today · the record of its deregistration
- Cessna 180 Skywagon 2,604 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Cessna 72,682 aircraft on the register
- Engine: Continental O-470-R 107 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- San Carlos Airport · nearest airport
- Watsonville Municipal · departed from
- Accidents and incidents in California 9,080 since 1982 · 1,097 in the last ten years
- California 27,897 aircraft registered
- Other NTSB records under N2790X 3 records · the number may have belonged to another aircraft at the time
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/LAX90LA294.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.