Cessna 180 accident near Wadsworth, Ohio, July 10, 1998
On July 10, 1998 at about 11:12 pm local time, a Cessna 180, registered N180DR, was substantially damaged in an accident near Wadsworth, Ohio (Wadsworth Muni airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A loss of engine power for undetermined reasons.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 10, 1998 · about 11:12 pm local time
- Place
- Wadsworth, Ohio · Wadsworth Muni · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 180 · all 180s on the register
- Registration
- N180DR · registry record · serial 18051762
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
While in the traffic pattern, the airplane's engine lost power. The pilot stated he was unable to restart the engine and because the airplane was too low to allow for a runway landing, he performed a forced landing to a grass field. After the accident, during interviews the pilot stated the engine lost power due to fuel exhaustion. He further said, the right fuel tank contained 15 gallons of fuel, but he 'forgot to switch tanks.' Approximately 20 gallons of fuel (10 gallons per wing tank) were drained from the airplane about 6 hours after the accident. Examination of the wreckage did not disclose any pre-impact malfunctions of the airframe or engine.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 100 in the last 90 days; 20 in the last 30 days; 1,600 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 1, 1997; 148 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: DNL Augusta GA at 8:30 pm
- Destination: 3G3
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 2, 3,536 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 010° at 11 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 20,000 ft
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 50°F (10°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:51 pm from CAK, 17 miles away
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.