Cessna 180H accident near Niagara Falls, New York, October 14, 1989
On October 14, 1989 at about 8:45 pm local time, a Cessna 180H, registered N7930V, was substantially damaged in an accident near Niagara Falls, New York (Niagara Falls 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).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S LOSS OF DIRECTIONAL CONTROL DURING TAKEOFF ROLL DUE TO STRONG WIND GUSTS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 14, 1989 · about 8:45 pm local time
- Place
- Niagara Falls, New York · Niagara Falls
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 180H · all 180Hs on the register
- Registration
- N7930V · registry record · serial 18051830
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AT THE RUN-UP AREA, THE PILOT HAD DELAYED HIS TAKEOFF UNTIL THE WIND SUBSIDED CHECKING WITH GROUND CONTROL EVERY FEW MINUTES FOR WIND DIRECTION & VELOCITY. WHEN THE WIND HAD SUBSIDED HE INITIATED THE TAKEOFF. HE WAS GIVEN THE WIND AS 350 AT 16 KTS BY THE TOWER. DURING THE TAKEOFF GROUND RUN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL BECAME IMPOSSIBLE TO MAINTAIN AND THE AIRPLANE RAN OFF THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE RWY INTO SOFT TURF COLLAPSING THE LEFT MAIN GEAR. THE CONTROL TOWER REPORTED THAT A STRONG WIND GUST OCCURRED PRIOR TO ROTATION. THE 1647 WINDS WERE REPORTED AS 010 AT 25 KTS, GUSTING 33 KTS.
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: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 20,000 hours in all; 60 in this make and model; 173 in the last 90 days; 77 in the last 30 days; 8,000 as pilot in command; 700 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,812 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded, January 28, 1989; 60 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,800 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470R (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: IAC Niagara Falls NY at 8:45 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 6, 5,056 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 010° at 25 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 2,800 ft; not recorded
- 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.
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.