Cessna 180 accident near Challis, Idaho, August 7, 2000
On August 7, 2000 at about 4:50 pm local time, a Cessna 180, registered N222AK, was substantially damaged in an accident near Challis, Idaho (Challis airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
Preview. This page is not yet listed for search engines.
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's inadequate compensation for wind conditions. Factors include variable winds during landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 7, 2000 · about 4:50 pm local time
- Place
- Challis, Idaho · Challis · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 180 · all 180s on the register
- Registration
- N222AK · registry record · serial 30097
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The commercial pilot was landing the tailwheel-equipped airplane on a dry paved runway. Shortly after touchdown, the airplane began to drift left of runway centerline. The pilot applied brakes and corrective action, however, the aircraft continued off the runway, encountered soft terrain adjacent to the runway and nosed over. The pilot reported that the winds at the time of the accident were variable at 10 knots. He also reported that he had not experienced any mechanical difficulties or failures with the aircraft that may have contributed to 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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,500 hours in all; 65 in this make and model; 16 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 3,300 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,327 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 28, 2000; 10 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470-R (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PUW Pullman WA at 3:20 pm
- Destination: LLJ
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 16, 4,600 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 065° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 37°F (3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:56 pm from LLJ
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 SEA00LA153.