Cessna 180E accident near Kingston, New Hampshire, September 26, 1990
On September 26, 1990 at about 7:20 pm local time, a Cessna 180E, registered N2620Y, was destroyed in an accident near Kingston, New Hampshire. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
AN INFLIGHT COLLISION WITH WATER WHILE MANEUVERING FOR A FORCED LANDING. A FACTOR TO THE ACCIDENT WAS A POWER LOSS DUE TO THE PILOT'S IMPROPER USE OF THE MIXTURE CONTROL.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 26, 1990 · about 7:20 pm local time
- Place
- Kingston, New Hampshire
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 180E · all 180Es on the register
- Registration
- N2620Y · no longer on the register · serial 18051120
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE FLOAT EQUIPPED AIRPLANE MADE A LOW PASS OVER A LAKE. POWER WAS ADDED FOR A GO AROUND AND THE ENGINE FAILED TO RESPOND. WHILE MANEUVERING FOR THE LANDING, THE AIRPLANE CONTACTED THE LAKES SURFACE IN AN APPROXIMATE 30 DEGREES NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE WITH A 45 DEGREE LEFT BANK. WHEN INTERVIEWED AFTER THE ACCIDENT, THE PILOT SAID THE MIXTURE WAS LEAN DURING THE LOW PASS AND REMAINED LEAN DURING POWER APPLICATION. THE ENGINE WAS TEST RUN SATISFACTORILY FOLLOWING 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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; single-engine sea
- Flight time: 2,962 hours in all; 189 in this make and model; 26 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days; 200 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,650 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470-R (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Attitash NH at 7:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 6:00 pm
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.