Cessna 180J accident near Wickenburg, Arizona, May 27, 1999
On May 27, 1999 at about 2:10 pm local time, a Cessna 180J, registered N2660M, was destroyed in an accident near Wickenburg, Arizona. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed and 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain altitude/clearance from ground obstacles. A factor was the pilot's diverted attention in this accident.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 27, 1999 · about 2:10 pm local time
- Place
- Wickenburg, Arizona · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed and 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 180J · all 180Js on the register
- Registration
- N2660M · registry record · serial 18052769
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
After taking off from Moreton Airpark, the pilot made a right turn to a southeasterly heading. He planned to fly down the Hassayampa riverbed before returning to Moreton. The pilot intended to demonstrate the hissing sound the aircraft made after being shutdown to the mechanic who was also onboard. This symptom had developed after the mechanic had installed new fuel bladders. They were discussing the aircraft symptom when he noticed a bright flash. Witnesses saw the aircraft flying down the Hassayampa riverbed about 10 feet agl. They described the weather at the time of the accident as clear and calm. Investigators found six aluminum electrical transmission lines spanning the Hassayampa riverbed had been broken. The lowest three wires were 24 feet higher than the riverbed at the lowest point. The next set of three wires was 3 feet higher. The wires were marked with an orange ball. Investigators found no mechanical discrepancies with the aircraft.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 805 hours in all; 161 in this make and model; 708 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,755 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 21, 1998; 106 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,800 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470-S (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 43E Moreton Airpark AZ at 2:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 110° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 12,000 ft
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 45°F (7°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:56 pm from PHX, 49 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | 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.
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 documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text 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 LAX99FA199.