Cessna 180D accident near Natchez, Mississippi, June 2, 1998
On June 2, 1998 at about 7:00 pm local time, a Cessna 180D, registered N6471X, was substantially damaged in an accident near Natchez, Mississippi (Hardy-Anders Field). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's improper use of brakes on landing rollout. The tailwind was a factor.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 2, 1998 · about 7:00 pm local time
- Place
- Natchez, Mississippi · Hardy-Anders Field · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 180D · all 180Ds on the register
- Registration
- N6471X · registry record · serial 18050971
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot stated that while on the landing rollout he heard a sound like metal, experienced a loss of directional control, and the airplane rotated around its vertical axis to the left and came to rest on its side. Examination of the runway revealed evidence of the tailwheel off center and bouncing, braking action from the left and right main landing gear, and subsequent collapse of the left main landing gear. Examination of the brake assembly revealed no mechanical failure or abnormalities.
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; 117 in this make and model; 45 in the last 90 days; 15 in the last 30 days; 850 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,390 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 28, 1997; 60 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,650 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470-L (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 23M Quitman MS at 6:00 pm
- Destination: HEZ
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 36, 5,000 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 170° at 9 knots, gusting 15
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded
- Temperature: 91°F (33°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:56 pm from HEZ
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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.