Cessna 180 accident near Lakeshore, Maryland, September 12, 1998
On September 12, 1998 at about 8:30 pm local time, a Cessna 180, registered N6503A, was substantially damaged in an accident near Lakeshore, Maryland (Mountain Road airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
Failures of the right float's nose wheel do to a preexisting fatigue crack.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 12, 1998 · about 8:30 pm local time
- Place
- Lakeshore, Maryland · Mountain Road · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 180 · all 180s on the register
- Registration
- N6503A · registry record · serial 32400
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane entered a left downwind for the west runway. On final, the pilot lowered the landing gear, selected full flaps, and touched-down smoothly approximately 300-400 feet down the 1,800 foot grass strip. While rolling out, and approximately 30 mph, the airplane yawed right about 170 degrees causing the left float to collapse and fold under the airplane. The right float's nose wheel was found in an area of loose dirt about 40 feet prior to the airplane's final resting. Examination of the right float's nose wheel revealed marks consistent with a preexisting fatigue crack.
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
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 11,729 hours in all; 214 in this make and model; 190 in the last 90 days; 49 in the last 30 days; 5,200 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,662 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 14, 1998; 32 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,850 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470-K (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: CGS College Park MD at 8:10 pm
- Destination: MD43
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0, 1,800 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 260° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 12,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:54 pm from BWI, 10 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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 N6503A 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.