Cessna 180 accident near Caldwell, Idaho, August 29, 2003
On August 29, 2003 at about 2:30 pm local time, a Cessna 180, registered N1027X, was substantially damaged in an accident near Caldwell, Idaho (Caldwell Industrial airport). It was an instructional 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).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The instructor's inadequate supervision, and the student's failure to maintain directional control.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 29, 2003 · about 2:30 pm local time · cases in 2003
- Place
- Caldwell, Idaho · Caldwell Industrial · cases near this airport · 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
- N1027X · registry record · serial 31205
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The flight instructor reported that as the 12 hour student pilot was rolling out on the runway in the tailwheel equipped aircraft, the aircraft's nose deviated to the right. The student applied corrective rudder and brake while the instructor assured full up elevator had been applied. However, the actions were not sufficient to prevent the aircraft from ground looping 180 degrees during which the left wingtip and horizontal stabilizer struck the ground. The winds were variable to northerly at 3-5 knots and the instructor reported that there had been no mechanical malfunction with the aircraft during the event.
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
Flight instructor
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 20,822 hours in all; 22 in this make and model; 24 in the last 90 days; 9 in the last 30 days; 19,147 as pilot in command; 1,232 on instruments
- Last flight review: April 8, 2003
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Dual student
- Flight time: 12 hours in all; 12 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: None
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,125 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 10, 2002; 30 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470-A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: EUL Caldwell ID at 1:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 30, 5,500 ft by 100 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 360° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 43°F (6°C)
- Altimeter: 30.04 inHg
- Observation at 2:35 pm from EUL
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N1027X on the register today · the tail number may have moved to another aircraft since
- Cessna 180 Skywagon 2,604 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Cessna 72,678 aircraft on the register
- Engine: Continental O-470-A 5 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Caldwell Executive · nearest airport
- Accidents and incidents in Idaho 1,535 since 1982 · 287 in the last ten years
- Idaho 4,199 aircraft registered
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/SEA03LA181.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.