Cessna 180 accident near La Center, Washington, August 10, 2026
On August 10, 2026 at about 7:55 pm local time, a 1954 Cessna 180, registered N180DT, was substantially damaged in an accident during approach (VFR pattern base) near La Center, Washington (Daybreak airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were seriously injured.
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 10, 2026 · about 7:55 pm local time
- Place
- La Center, Washington · Daybreak · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- not recorded
- Aircraft
- Cessna 180, built 1954 · all 180s on the register
- Registration
- N180DT · registry record · serial 31023
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative preliminary · quoted from the NTSB record
On August 10, 2026, about 12:55 Pacific daylight time, a Cessna 180, N180DT, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near La Center, Washington. The flight instructor and pilot receiving instruction were seriously injured. The flight was being operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 instructional flight. According to preliminary ADS-B, the airplane departed from runway 31 at Daybreak (WA46), La Center, Washington, about 1250, turned to the northwest, and climbed to 1,025 ft above ground level (agl). At 1251, the airplane made a turn to the east, and continued its climb to 2,200 ft. As the airplane passed the departure end of runway 31, it began a descent and about .5 mile east-southeast of WA46, the airplane made a left turn to the north. 1 mile northeast of WA46, at about 1,200 ft agl, the airplane made a descending 180° turn to the left, and flew southbound, approximately parallel with runway 13/31 at WA46, and about .45 mile from runway 13/31. About .40 mile east of the approach end of runway 31, about 250 ft agl, the airplane began a right turn and continued its descent until the end of the available flight track data. The last recorded data point was at 1255, about .23 mile southeast of the approach end of runway 31. (See figure 1) Figure 1. Preliminary ADS-B flight track data of accident flight. According to a witness who was positioned to the east of WA46, he observed the airplane shortly before the accident. He observed the airplane as it made the northbound turn, east of WA46, and then again as it flew southbound and began its turn toward the runway. He stated that as it was approaching, the engine sounded like it “backfired, as if the pilot was throttling back for landing”, and that otherwise, the airplane looked and sounded like most other airplanes he observes. According to a family friend, the flight instructor stated to him that “they had been doing some practicing at Daybreak and that the engine lost power, they came up short and they had to put it in the trees.” The friend stated that the pilot had disclosed additional detail to him but did not share it with NTSB. Due to ongoing medical circumstances at the time of this report, the NTSB has not received a statement of events from either pilot. The airplane came to rest inverted, about 380 ft southeast of WA46. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed substantial damage to both wings, the vertical stabilizer, and the fuselage. The wreckage was retained for further examination.
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
- Collision during takeoff/land during approach (VFR pattern base) defining event
The aircraft
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 13/3, 2,200 ft by 60 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The NTSB has not released the docket for this case yet. The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), is usually released when the investigation is nearly complete, and the list here is refreshed when it appears. Check 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 WPR26LA296.