Cessna 180J accident near Newcastle, Wyoming, July 19, 1991
On July 19, 1991 at about 9:30 pm local time, a Cessna 180J, registered N9962N, was destroyed in an accident near Newcastle, Wyoming. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
PILOT FACTOR IN THAT HE DID NOT MAINTAIN SUFFICIENT FLYING SPEED AND ALLOWED THE AIRCRAFT TO ENTER AN INADVERTENT STALL/SPIN. FACTORS INCLUDE HIGH DENSITY ALTITUDE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 19, 1991 · about 9:30 pm local time
- Place
- Newcastle, Wyoming · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 180J · all 180Js on the register
- Registration
- N9962N · no longer on the register · serial 18052617
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT OF THE CESSNA 180 DEPARTED THE HIGH DENSITY ALTITUDE AIRPORT WITH THE INTENTION OF FOLLOWING A CESSNA 185 FOR A LOCAL SIGHTSEEING FLIGHT. THE AIRCRAFT, WHICH WAS HEAVILY LOADED, WAS DESCRIBED BY A CFI ON THE GROUND AS WALLOWING THROUGH THE AIR AFTER DEPARTURE. THE AIRCRAFT APPEARED TO THE WITNESS TO BE IN SLOW-FLIGHT AT A SPEED JUST ABOVE A STALL, WITH NO APPRECIABLE RATE OF CLIMB. THE AIRCRAFT TURNED OUT OF THE PATTERN TOWARD RISING TERRAIN AND ULTIMATELY STALLED AND SPUN INTO THE TERRAIN.
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: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,696 hours in all; 1,696 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,800 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470-R (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: ECS Newcastle WY at 9:27 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 150° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 90°F (32°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.
Other NTSB records under N9962N 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.