Cessna 180 accident near Upland, California, August 12, 2012
On August 12, 2012 at about 7:00 pm local time, a Cessna 180, registered N2927K, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Upland, California (Cable 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 of the airplane during the landing roll in gusting wind conditions.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 12, 2012 · about 7:00 pm local time
- Place
- Upland, California · Cable Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 180 K · all 180s on the register
- Registration
- N2927K · no longer on the register · serial 18053132
- 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 after touching down the airplane tracked the centerline of the runway but eventually began to veer to the right. After correcting back to the centerline, a wind gust from the right caused the right wing to lift, which resulted in the airplane tracking to the left and eventually exiting the left side of the runway. With a fence now directly in the path and a collision imminent, the pilot initiated a go-around by applying full power and retracting the flaps from 40 degrees to 10 degrees. The pilot added that even though the airplane was airborne, he was unable to climb over the fence. The airplane impacted the top of the fence with its main landing gear and tailwheel before coming to rest wedged between a rock pile and the fence; it sustained substantial damage to the wings, fuselage, and horizontal stabilizer. The pilot reported no mechanical anomalies with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
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
- Runway excursion during landing (landing roll)
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (aborted after touchdown)
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 › Gusts › Response/compensation
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Fence/fence post › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 872 hours in all; 319 in this make and model
- Last flight review: May 30, 2012
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,830 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 1, 2012; 37 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,190 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O470 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: CMA Cararillo CA at 6:10 pm
- Destination: CCB Upland CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 24, 3,864 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 260° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 15,000 ft
- Temperature: 99°F (37°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 29.86 inHg
- Observation at 6:53 pm from ONT, 6 miles away
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.