Cessna 180 accident near Spartanburg, South Carolina, March 11, 2008
On March 11, 2008 at about 9:15 pm local time, a Cessna 180, registered N1044Y, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Spartanburg, South Carolina (Spartanburg Downtown Memorial airport). It was a public-use 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).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's encounter with wake turbulence during approach as a result of his inadequate in-flight planning.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 11, 2008 · about 9:15 pm local time
- Place
- Spartanburg, South Carolina · Spartanburg Downtown Memorial · 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
- N1044Y · no longer on the register · serial 32853
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Public-use flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
After joining the downwind traffic pattern leg for landing on a 5,202-foot-long runway, the pilot of a Cessna 180 observed a Lear 45 taxi on to the runway for departure. As he turned the airplane on to the left base leg, he noticed that the Learjet was still on the runway. After joining the final approach leg, the Learjet started the takeoff roll and lifted off. As the pilot flared for touchdown, the accident airplane was "pushed hard" to the right, the right main landing gear touched down, then the airplane bounced and "threw to the left hard." The left wing then made ground contact, was substantially damaged, and the airplane ground-looped. According to the Aeronautical Information Manual (AIM), pilots should adjust their operations and flight path as necessary to preclude serious wake encounters. When landing behind a departing larger aircraft on the same runway, they should note where the larger aircraft's rotation point was and land well before the rotation point. The AIM also states that the flight disciplines necessary to ensure vortex avoidance during visual flight rules operations must be exercised by the pilot. Vortex visualization and avoidance procedures should be exercised by the pilot using the same degree of concern as in collision avoidance and that wake turbulence may be encountered by aircraft in flight as well as when operating on the airport movement area.
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
What happened, in order
- Aircraft wake turb encounter during landing defining event
- Abnormal runway contact during landing (flare/touchdown)
The NTSB's findings
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Turbulence › Wake turbulence › Awareness of condition
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Planning/preparation › (general) › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 2,030 hours in all; 30 in this make and model; 60 in the last 90 days; 30 in the last 30 days; 1,985 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: June 29, 2007
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 9,620 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 17, 2007; 78 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,650 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470-K-17F (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SPA Spartanburg SC at 6:30 pm
- Destination: SPA
- Runway 23, 5,202 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 260° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 9,000 ft
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 34°F (1°C)
- Altimeter: 29.98 inHg
- Observation at 8:53 pm from GSP, 13 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.
Other NTSB records under N1044Y the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.