Cessna 180 accident near Calexico, California, August 26, 1990
On August 26, 1990 at about 11:45 pm local time, a Cessna 180, registered N2985A, was substantially damaged in an accident near Calexico, California (Calexico Int'L 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 AIRCRAFT'S ENCOUNTER WITH UNFAVORABLE WIND, A DUST DEVIL, THAT RENDERED THE AIRCRAFT UNCONTROLLABLE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 26, 1990 · about 11:45 pm local time
- Place
- Calexico, California · Calexico Int'L · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 180 · all 180s on the register
- Registration
- N2985A · no longer on the register · serial 30185
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT OBSERVED DUST DEVILS IN THE VICINITY OF THE RUNWAY AS HE NEARED THE AIRPORT FOR LANDING. AS THE AIRCRAFT NEARED THE RUNWAY ON FINAL APPROACH THE PILOT LOST CONTROL AND THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED THE RUNWAY. AFTER THE INITIAL IMPACT THE AIRCRAFT BOUNCED INTO THE AIR AND TURNED LEFT AND COLLIDED WITH THE GROUND AGAIN.
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: 850 hours in all; 375 in this make and model; 30 in the last 90 days; 25 in the last 30 days; 650 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no 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-A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: LTO Loeto, Baja at 8:05 pm
- Destination: CXL
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 26, 4,330 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 090° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 40 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 11:48 pm from IPL, 10 miles away
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.
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.