Cessna 180 accident near St. Louis, Missouri, November 24, 1989
On November 24, 1989 at about 4:20 pm local time, a Cessna 180, registered N52158, was substantially damaged in an accident near St. Louis, Missouri (Spirit Of St Louis airport). 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 FAILURE TO ADEQUATELY COMPENSATE FOR THE WIND. THE GUSTY, CROSSWIND CONDITION IS CONSIDERED A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR TO THE ACCIDENT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 24, 1989 · about 4:20 pm local time
- Place
- St. Louis, Missouri · Spirit Of St Louis · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 180 · all 180s on the register
- Registration
- N52158 · registry record · serial 18052526
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE LANDING ON RUNWAY 26, DURING GUSTY CROSS-WIND CONDITIONS, THE AIRCRAFT SWERVED CAUSING THE RIGHT MAIN GEAR TO COLLAPSE. THIS RESULTED IN ADDITIONAL DAMAGE TO THE RIGHT WING AND PROPELLER. THE LOCAL ATIS REPORTED SURFACE WINDS TO BE FROM 210 DEGREES AT 16 GUSTING TO 21 KNOTS AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,569 hours in all; 717 in this make and model; 27 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 1,569 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: 2,800 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470-S (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: K-84 Lee'S Summit MO at 3:00 pm
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 26, 7,000 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 200° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 12 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 46°F (8°C), dew point 25°F (-4°C)
- Observation at 10:24 am from SUS, 1 miles away
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.