Cessna 180 B accident near Klamath Falls, Oregon, February 2, 2003
On February 2, 2003 at about 2:15 am local time, a Cessna 180 B, registered N59180, was substantially damaged in an accident near Klamath Falls, Oregon (Klamath Falls International airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
Failure to adequately compensate for wind conditions while landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 2, 2003 · about 2:15 am local time
- Place
- Klamath Falls, Oregon · Klamath Falls International · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 180 B · all 180 Bs on the register
- Registration
- N59180 · registry record · serial 50582
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The private pilot reported that he completed a go-around to runway 32 due to wind conditions. After the go-around, the pilot made a second approach and landed on runway 32. He reported that during the landing rollout, while retracting the flaps, the airplane's left wing "came up." The pilot reported that he tried to compensate with full control inputs, however, the airplane nosed-over resulting in substantial damage. At 1753, the official weather observation station located at the Klamath Falls Airport, reported winds from 290 degrees at 9 knots. No mechanical difficulties or malfunctions were reported.
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: 539 hours in all; 34 in this make and model; 10 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days; 481 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: December 10, 2002
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,126 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 22, 2002; 2 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,650 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470K (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: RBL Red Bluff CA at 1:50 am
- Destination: LMT Klamath Falls OR
- Flight plan: not recorded
- Runway 32, 10,300 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 290° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 3,000 ft
- Temperature: 32°F (0°C), dew point 25°F (-4°C)
- Altimeter: 30.09 inHg
- Observation at 1:53 am from KLMT
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.
Other NTSB records under N59180 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.