Cessna 180H accident near Santa Ynez, California, December 13, 1997
On December 13, 1997 at about 8:00 pm local time, a Cessna 180H, registered N123LJ, was substantially damaged in an accident near Santa Ynez, California (Santa Ynez 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's improper flare. Related factors were the crosswind conditions.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 13, 1997 · about 8:00 pm local time
- Place
- Santa Ynez, California · Santa Ynez Airport
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 180H · all 180Hs on the register
- Registration
- N123LJ · registry record · serial 18051526
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
Before landing the pilot overflew the airport and checked the windsock. He noted that the winds were at a direct 90-degree angle from the runway and gusting to approximately 35 knots. The pilot made repeated attempts to contact UNICOM, but did not receive a response. The airplane touched down hard and veered off runway 08. A pilot in the pattern behind the accident aircraft reported to a witness that he had heard the accident pilot attempting to contact UNICOM, and UNICOM's subsequent responses. The witness reported that the pilot made left-hand traffic for the runway, which has a published right-hand traffic pattern. The witness also reported that the winds were approximately 130 degrees gusting to about 35 knots. The person monitoring UNICOM reported to the witness that he did receive transmissions from the pilot and had reported airport advisories to him. After the accident the pilot reported to the witness that he would not have attempted to land at the airport had he been able to receive airport advisories from UNICOM. No mechanical difficulties were noted by the pilot.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,079 hours in all; 3,800 in this make and model; 13 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 4,079 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,241 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 3, 1997; 16 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,800 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470-R (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: VNY Van Nuys CA at 7:00 pm
- Destination: IZA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 8, 2,804 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 170° at 28 knots, gusting 35
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 10,000 ft; clear
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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 LAX98LA060.