Cessna 180 accident near Pacific City, Oregon, February 15, 2002
On February 15, 2002 at about 8:20 pm local time, a Cessna 180, registered N2434C, was substantially damaged in an accident near Pacific City, Oregon (Pacific City 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 local wind conditions during the landing roll. Factors include unfavorable winds, and a swampy area adjacent to the runway.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 15, 2002 · about 8:20 pm local time
- Place
- Pacific City, Oregon · Pacific City · 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
- N2434C · registry record · serial 30734
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
While landing on a 30 foot-wide runway in steady crosswind conditions, the aircraft encountered an unexpected gust of wind. Although the pilot tried to correct for the unfavorable wind conditions, his attempts to do so were not adequate to keep the aircraft from departing the side of the runway. After departing the runway surface, the aircraft encountered a swampy area, and nosed over in about nine inches of water. The pilot later realized that wind funneling between buildings and trees located alongside the runway had created a funnel effect that produced areas of crosswind gusts.
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
- Flight time: 842 hours in all; 393 in this make and model; 46 in the last 90 days; 7 in the last 30 days; 767 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: April 28, 2000
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,019 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 2,650 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470-J (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MMV Mcminnville OR at 7:50 pm
- Destination: PFC Pacific City OR
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 14, 1,875 ft by 30 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 235° at 12 knots, gusting 20
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
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 docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site 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 SEA02LA041.