Cessna 180C accident near Great Falls, Montana, December 21, 2008
On December 21, 2008 at about 5:30 pm local time, a Cessna 180C, registered CFIWA, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Great Falls, Montana (Great Falls Int. 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
The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during the landing roll.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 21, 2008 · about 5:30 pm local time
- Place
- Great Falls, Montana · Great Falls Int. Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 180C · all 180Cs on the register
- Registration
- CFIWA · no longer on the register · serial 50726
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that during the landing roll, and prior to the tail wheel making contact with the runway surface, she overcorrected with control inputs. The left wing and left horizontal stabilizer subsequently struck the runway surface causing substantial damage to the airplane. The pilot then regained control of the airplane and proceeded to taxi off of the runway.
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 landing (landing roll) defining event
- Dragged wing/rotor/float/other during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot, foreign licence
- Ratings: multi-engine land; multi-engine sea; single-engine land; single-engine sea
- Flight time: 1,300 hours in all; 100 in this make and model; 50 in the last 90 days; 20 in the last 30 days; 1,100 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: November 27, 2008
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 7,059.9 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 1, 2008
- Maximum gross weight: 2,650 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Teledyne Continental O-470 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: CKR9 Outlook at 3:30 pm
- Destination: GTF Great Falls MT
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 21, 10,502 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 210° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 68°F (20°C), dew point -11°F (-24°C)
- Altimeter: 30.12 inHg
- Observation at 5:53 pm from GTF
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.
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.