Cessna 180J accident near Modesto, California, November 29, 2023
On November 29, 2023, a 1975 Cessna 180J, registered N9991N, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Modesto, California (Modesto City-County-Harry Sham 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The failure of the pilot to maintain directional control of the airplane during landing, which resulted in a nose over.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 29, 2023
- Place
- Modesto, California · Modesto City-County-Harry Sham · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 180J, built 1975 · all 180Js on the register
- Registration
- N9991N · registry record · serial 18052646
- 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 landing in a tailwind, he lost directional control on the tail wheeled airplane, and it veered to the left. Subsequently, the main gear exited the runway surface and resulted in the airplane nosing over. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the vertical stabilizer and left-wing strut. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions 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
- Nose over/nose down during landing (landing roll) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Tailwind › Effect on operation
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,615 hours in all; 2,500 in this make and model; 20 in the last 90 days
- Last flight review: January 28, 2023
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,800 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, October 31, 2023
- Maximum gross weight: 3,190 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MYF San Diego CA at 9:40 am
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 10L/, 5,904 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 140° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 34°F (1°C)
- Altimeter: 30.06 inHg
- Observation at 3:53 pm from KMOD
Weather report (METAR): KMOD 282353Z COR 14004KT 10SM CLR 17/01 A3006 RMK AO2 SLP179 T01670006 10178 20083 56018
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 |
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 WPR24LA043.