Cessna 180 accident near Eloy, Arizona, January 27, 2020
On January 27, 2020 at about 11:40 pm local time, a 1957 Cessna 180, registered N9729B, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Eloy, Arizona (Eloy Muni 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 while landing in crosswind conditions, which resulted in a ground-loop.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 27, 2020 · about 11:40 pm local time
- Place
- Eloy, Arizona · Eloy Muni · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 180 A, built 1957 · all 180s on the register
- Registration
- N9729B · registry record · serial 50027
- 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, while practicing landings, he completed one go-around and two landings without incident. On his next landing attempt, the airplane encountered a left crosswind during the landing flare. Despite his attempts to maintain directional control, the airplane ground looped and veered off the left side of the runway. The right wing sustained substantial damage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures 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 (flare/touchdown) defining event
- Attempted remediation/recovery during landing (flare/touchdown)
- Runway excursion during landing (flare/touchdown)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- cause Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Crosswind › Effect on operation
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 315 hours in all; 127 in this make and model; 40 in the last 90 days; 22 in the last 30 days; 183 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,367 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 2, 2019; 51 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,650 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470-7-K (piston); 2,367 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: P08 Coolidge AZ at 10:40 pm
- Destination: E60 Eloy AZ
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 02, 3,901 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 300° at 10 knots, gusting 15
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.92 inHg
- Observation at 11:40 pm from KP08, 11 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.