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DEN07CA084

2007-04-11 · Santa Fe, New Mexico, United States · None · 1 aircraft · Status: Completed

Airport SAF

Current FAA registration · N9253T

Make / Model
CESSNA 180C
Year of manufacture
1960 · 47 years old at event
Engine
CONT MOTOR O-470 SERIES (230 hp)
Seats / Engines
4 seats · 1 engine
Last airworthiness date
19650430
ADS-B equipped
Yes — Mode-S ACD390

Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).

Aircraft involved

Probable cause & findings

Exceeding the airplane's maximum demonstrated crosswind component during the takeoff roll. A contributing factor was the crosswind.

Factual narrative

According to the pilot, he was taking off on runway 02. The airplane weathervaned to the left and the right wing tip contacted the runway. The airplane nosed over and the propeller stuck the runway. The right wing rear spar and aileron were bent, and the engine cowling was buckled. SAF wind was reportedly from 320 degrees at 15 knots. An examination of the airplane's systems conducted by the FAA revealed no anomalies. The Pilot's Operating Handbook (POH) for the 1960 Cessna 180C does not give a maximum demonstrated crosswind component. However, the 1977 Cessna 180K POH lists the maximum demonstrated crosswind component as 12 knots. The computed crosswind component at the time of the accident was 13 knots (headwind component 8 knots). According to the pilot, he was taking off on runway 02. The airplane weathervaned to the left and the right wing tip contacted the runway. The airplane nosed over and the propeller struck the runway. The right wing rear spar and aileron were bent, and the engine cowling was buckled. SAF wind was reportedly from 320 degrees at 11 knots. An examination of the airplane's systems conducted by the FAA revealed no anomalies. The Pilot's Operating Handbook (POH) for the 1960 Cessna 180C does not give a maximum demonstrated crosswind component. However, the 1977 Cessna 180K POH lists the maximum demonstrated crosswind component as 12 knots. The computed crosswind component at the time of the accident was 13 knots (headwind component 8 knots). Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_2007_DEN07CA084.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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