Cessna 180H accident near Reno, Nevada, September 16, 2011
On September 16, 2011 at about 9:50 pm local time, a Cessna 180H, registered N180HR, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Reno, Nevada (Reno airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 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 condition, which resulted in a loss of directional control.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 16, 2011 · about 9:50 pm local time
- Place
- Reno, Nevada · Reno · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 180H · all 180Hs on the register
- Registration
- N180HR · registry record · serial 18051633
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the pilot, during landing, he encountered a strong gust of wind. The airplane veered and subsequently ground looped, sustaining substantial damage to the left wing and elevator. The pilot reported no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane.
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 Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Crosswind › Effect on operation
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 450 hours in all; 212 in this make and model; 56 in the last 90 days; 12 in the last 30 days; 450 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,095 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 24, 2010; 85 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,950 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Cont Motor IO 550 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: KBDN Bend OR at 8:00 pm
- Destination: KRNO Reno NV
- Flight plan: not recorded
- Runway 16R, 11,200 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 280° at 19 knots, gusting 26
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 20,000 ft; scat at 8,500 ft
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 34°F (1°C)
- Observation at 9:55 pm from KRNO
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.
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 WPR11CA455.