Cessna 180 accident near Nampa, Idaho, September 14, 2012
On September 14, 2012, a Cessna 180, registered N90RW, was substantially damaged in an accident during initial climb near Nampa, Idaho (Nampa Municipal Airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
An uncommanded bank after takeoff followed by an aerodynamic stall. The reason for the uncommanded bank could not be determined because postaccident examination did not reveal any anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 14, 2012
- Place
- Nampa, Idaho · Nampa Municipal Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 180 · all 180s on the register
- Registration
- N90RW · registry record · serial 30195
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot receiving instruction reported that after he conducted a thorough preflight inspection, he and the flight instructor briefed a soft field takeoff; the pilot lowered the flaps to 20 degrees, positioned the airplane onto the runway, and started to take off. During the initial climb, when the airplane was about 30 feet above the ground, the pilot noticed that the airplane had a slight bank to the right. He glanced at the airspeed indicator, and he believed it read either 70 or 90 mph. He attempted to correct for the right bank; however, the airplane did not respond. The instructor took over the flight controls and immediately added full left rudder and aileron. The airplane initially started to bank toward the left before it rolled into a steep right bank of about 60 degrees and impacted terrain. Witnesses reported that the airplane appeared to be climbing normally, and then it seemed to “sink” and slow; the right wing lowered about 10 degrees before it dropped another 50 degrees, and subsequently impacted terrain. Postaccident examination of the wreckage revealed no anomalies with the airframe that would have precluded normal operations. The reason for the uncommanded bank could not be determined.
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 in flight during initial climb defining event
- Aerodynamic stall/spin during initial climb
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during initial climb
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Lateral/bank control › Not specified
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Flight crew
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 433 hours in all; 0 in this make and model; 0 in the last 90 days; 0 in the last 30 days; 433 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: September 13, 2007
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
Flight instructor
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 14,500 hours in all; 250 in this make and model; 240 in the last 90 days; 80 in the last 30 days; 14,300 as pilot in command; 5,950 on instruments
- Last flight review: November 3, 2010
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,800 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 6, 2012; 3,800 hours since
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Cont Motor O-470 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MAN Nampa ID
- Destination: MAN Nampa ID
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 29, 5,000 ft by 75 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 350° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 27°F (-3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.22 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 | 1 |
Other NTSB records under N90RW the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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 docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site 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 WPR12LA418.