Cessna 180 accident near East Windsor, Connecticut, February 20, 2003
On February 20, 2003 at about 7:30 pm local time, a Cessna 180, registered N1752C, was substantially damaged in an accident near East Windsor, Connecticut (Roberts Farm airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was 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 failure to maintain directional control. A related factor was the snow-covered runway conditions.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 20, 2003 · about 7:30 pm local time
- Place
- East Windsor, Connecticut · Roberts Farm · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 180 · all 180s on the register
- Registration
- N1752C · registry record · serial 30452
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot attempted a takeoff on a 50 foot wide runway that was snow covered, and plowed to a width of 15 to 18 feet. As he initiated the takeoff, the left main landing gear wheel entered the snow on the left side of the runway, which was about 16 to 18 inches deep. The pilot added more power and rudder; however, the airplane turned further into the snow and came to rest on its nose and left wing. The width of the main landing gear on the airplane was 7 feet, 8 inches.
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: 3,790 hours in all; 2,000 in this make and model; 30 in the last 90 days; 15 in the last 30 days; 3,790 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: July 5, 2002
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,869.7 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 14, 2002; 34 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470-J (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: CT85 East Windsor CT at 7:30 pm
- Destination: N41 Waterbury CT
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 26, 2,000 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 330° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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 NYC03LA053.