Cessna 180 accident near Lewistown, Montana, July 20, 2008
On July 20, 2008 at about 7:00 pm local time, a Cessna 180, registered N1710C, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff near Lewistown, Montana (Lewistown 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 the variable and gusting winds, and his failure to maintain directional control. Contributing to the accident were variable winds that were gusting to 25 knots.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 20, 2008 · about 7:00 pm local time
- Place
- Lewistown, Montana · Lewistown 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
- N1710C · registry record · serial 30410
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During the initial part of his takeoff roll in a tailwheel-equipped airplane, the pilot lost directional control in variable and gusting winds. During his attempt to regain control, the airplane's wing impacted the runway, resulting in bending damage to the main spar of the wing. At the time of the attempted takeoff, the winds were variable at 15 to 25 knots.
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
What happened, in order
- Loss of control on ground during takeoff defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during takeoff
The NTSB's findings
- factor Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Gusts › Contributed to outcome
- factor Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Variable wind › Contributed to outcome
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Crosswind correction › Not attained/maintained
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea
- Flight time: 1,521 hours in all; 174 in this make and model; 14 in the last 90 days; 7 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3
The aircraft
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470-A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Lewistown MT
- Destination: Lewistown
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 25, 6,100 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 250° at 15 knots, gusting 25
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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 SEA08CA166.