Cessna 180K accident near Silverdale, Washington, April 2, 2000
On April 2, 2000, a Cessna 180K, registered N2635K, was substantially damaged in an accident near Silverdale, Washington (Apex Airpark 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's inadequate compensation for winds. Factors include gusty, shifting winds, crosswinds, and an earthen berm near the edge of the runway.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 2, 2000
- Place
- Silverdale, Washington · Apex Airpark · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 180K · all 180Ks on the register
- Registration
- N2635K · registry record · serial 18053020
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot was landing the tailwheel aircraft in gusty winds that were shifting direction. He touched down on the main gear with a headwind, but as he lowered the tail to the runway surface, the aircraft was hit with a crosswind that caused it to swerve toward the side of the runway. Although the pilot attempted to realign the aircraft with the runway, it departed the left side of the runway and impacted an earthen berm. Upon contacting the berm, both main gear collapsed.
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: 403 hours in all; 183 in this make and model; 41 in the last 90 days; 1 in the last 30 days; 291 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,669 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 3, 2000; 12 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,800 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470-U (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 9SL Roche Harbor WA at 11:15 pm
- Destination: S42
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 35, 2,500 ft by 35 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 290° at 10 knots, gusting 15
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
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.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number SEA00LA060.