NTSB CEN24LA250 — 2024-07-04 · Fayetteville, Arkansas, United States

Current FAA registration · N669CB

Make / Model: CESSNA 180J
Year of manufacture: 1976 · 48 years old at event
Engine: CONT MOTOR O-470 SERIES (230 hp)
Seats / Engines: 6 seats · 1 engine
Last airworthiness date: 19760610
ADS-B equipped: Yes — Mode-S A8D5DC

Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).

Aircraft involved

N669CB Cessna 180 None

Probable cause & findings

The pilot’s loss of directional control due to a muscle spasm.

Factual narrative

While on takeoff from the airport in a tailwheel-equipped airplane, the pilot reported that as he applied right rudder, a muscle spasm shot through his right calf. The spasm resulted in the pilot’s foot pressing hard on the right rudder pedal. Before the pilot could regain directional control, the airplane’s tail swung left, and the airplane steered towards the runway edge. The airplane’s left main landing gear contacted a runway taxiway light collapsing the left main landing gear and the airplane settled on the left wing and ground looped. The pilot had already pulled the throttle back during the muscle spasm and the airplane skidded to a stop. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing and left horizontal stabilizer. The pilot said that he felt that his lack of proper hydration led to his muscle spasm. There were no reported mechanical malfunctions or failures that contributed to the accident. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database Retrieved: 2026-02-12

NTSB Findings

FAA avdata. C = Cause, F = Factor.

— Personnel issues-Physical-(general)-(general)-Pilot

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_2024_CEN24LA250.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

Search this event elsewhere

External sources are reported, not agency: signal that something happened, not fact about what happened.

Related research

Matched on aircraft type. All research papers