Cessna 180F accident near Inyokern, California, March 7, 1999
On March 7, 1999 at about 11:00 pm local time, a Cessna 180F, registered N345RC, was substantially damaged in an accident near Inyokern, California (Inyokern 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).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's inadequate compensation for the variable and gusting winds during a wheel landing, which led to a loss of directional control.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 7, 1999 · about 11:00 pm local time
- Place
- Inyokern, California · Inyokern · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 180F · all 180Fs on the register
- Registration
- N345RC · registry record · serial 18051231
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
Winds were variable at 5 knots, gusting to 10, with the wind tee and windsocks indicating runway 33. The pilot executed a wheel landing but began losing directional control to the right just after touchdown. He countered with left rudder, but the aircraft began to ground loop. The aircraft swerved left and scraped the right wingtip. He then attempted a go-around, but his right wingtip struck a sign and the aircraft veered right and struck a fence.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot, private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: glider; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 1,154 hours in all; 56 in this make and model; 56 in the last 90 days; 9 in the last 30 days; 1,093 as pilot in command; 231 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,882 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 1, 1998; 88 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,650 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470R (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: L06 Death Valley CA at 10:00 pm
- Destination: IYK
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 33, 7,100 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 4 knots
- Visibility: 35 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 800 ft
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 23°F (-5°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:56 pm from NID, 8 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.