Cessna 180 accident near Stanley, Idaho, August 11, 2020
On August 11, 2020, a 1975 Cessna 180, registered N9917N, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff near Stanley, Idaho (Stanley 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during takeoff in crosswind conditions, which resulted in a ground loop.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 11, 2020
- Place
- Stanley, Idaho · Stanley · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 180 J, built 1975 · all 180s on the register
- Registration
- N9917N · registry record · serial 18052572
- 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 takeoff roll in the tailwheel equipped airplane, with a 10 knot direct crosswind, after the tail lifted and the airplane was tracking on the runway centerline, he initiated a cross control to compensate for the crosswind. The control pressure was excessive and the airplane banked into the wind and started to deviate to the left. The pilot attempted corrective action however the airplane rotated around and ground looped. The right side main landing gear collapsed and the right wing was substantially damaged. The pilot reported that there were 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
- Other weather encounter during takeoff
- Attempted remediation/recovery during takeoff
- Loss of control on ground during takeoff defining event
- Landing gear collapse during takeoff
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
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Crosswind › Effect on operation
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 3,300 hours in all
- Last flight review: July 31, 2020
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Passenger
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,825 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470 SERIES (piston); 1,750 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 2U7 Stanley ID at 1:15 pm
- Destination: SUN Hailey ID
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 35, 4,300 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 280° at 10 knots, gusting 15
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 25°F (-4°C)
- Altimeter: 30.23 inHg
- Observation at 1:00 pm from 2U7
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 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.
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 WPR20CA265.