NTSB LAX89LA179 — 1989-05-03 · COTTONWOOD, Arizona, United States

Current FAA registration · N9924N

Make / Model: CESSNA 180J
Year of manufacture: 1975 · 14 years old at event
Engine: CONT MOTOR O-470 SERIES (230 hp)
Seats / Engines: 6 seats · 1 engine
Last airworthiness date: 19750310
ADS-B equipped: Yes — Mode-S ADDD02

Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).

Aircraft involved

N9924N Cessna 180 None

Probable cause & findings

IMPROPER FLIGHT PLANNING/DECISION BY THE PIC WHEN HE DECIDED TO LAND WITH SUCH A CROSSWIND, AND NOT MAINTAINING COMPENSATION FOR THE CROSSWIND AFTER HE DECIDED TO ATTEMPT THE LANDING.

Factual narrative

THE PILOT SAID HE WAS ON DOWNWIND FOR THE AIRPORT WHEN HE NOTICED A DIRECT CROSSWIND FROM APPROXIMATELY 230 DEGREES. HE SAID HE HAD THE AIRPLANE DOWN ON ALL WHEELS ON RUNWAY 14 WHEN A GUST OF WIND CAUGHT THE PLANE AND SPUN IT TO THE RIGHT. THE LEFT WING AND LEFT STABILIZER IMPACTED THE GROUND. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_1989_LAX89LA179.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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