Cessna 180 accident near Missoula, Montana, July 1, 2010
On July 1, 2010 at about 10:30 pm local time, a Cessna 180, registered N3642C, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Missoula, Montana (Missoula 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).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's inadequate compensation for the crosswind conditions and 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
- July 1, 2010 · about 10:30 pm local time
- Place
- Missoula, Montana · Missoula · 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
- N3642C · registry record · serial 31140
- 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 the airplane encountered a gust of wind. The airplane veered to the right and the left wing scraped the ground. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing, left wing rear spar, and left horizontal stabilizer. The pilot reported the wind as 350 degrees at 20 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 landing (landing roll) defining event
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
- cause Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Crosswind › Response/compensation
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 17,000 hours in all; 7,000 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: unk
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Cont Motor O-470 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 8S1 Polson MT
- Destination: KMSO Missoula MT
- Flight plan: not recorded
- Runway 29, 9,501 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 310° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 77°F (25°C), dew point 45°F (7°C)
- Altimeter: 29.89 inHg
- Observation at 10:53 pm from KMSO
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.
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.