How many accidents has the Cessna 180 had?

The NTSB has recorded 1114 events involving the Cessna 180: 87 fatal, 51 serious, 107 minor injuries, and 865 incidents with no injuries.

Is the Cessna 180 a safe aircraft?

Safety depends on many factors beyond the aircraft model, including pilot training, maintenance, and weather conditions. The Cessna 180 has 1114 NTSB-recorded events. Always review individual reports for context — many events involve pilot error or weather, not aircraft defects.

Cessna 180 Safety Record

Complete NTSB accident and incident history. 1114 events recorded from 1981 to 2025.

1114

All Events

865

Incidents

107

Minor

Serious

Fatal (166 fatalities)

Date	Location	Reg#	Severity	Damage	Probable Cause
Mar 26, 1990	SAN CARLOS, CA	N2790X	Incident	substantial	THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT DURING THE LANDING.
Mar 22, 1990	ILIAMNA, AK	N5222E	Incident	substantial	THE PILOT FAILED TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL DURING LANDING. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS WERE THE ROUGH TERRAIN, AND THE PILOT'S LACK OF TOTAL AND RECENT… THE PILOT FAILED TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL DURING LANDING. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS WERE THE ROUGH TERRAIN, AND THE PILOT'S LACK OF TOTAL AND RECENT EXPERIENCE IN THAT MODEL AIRPLANE.
Mar 06, 1990	FAIRBANKS, AK	N2428C	Incident	substantial	IMPROPER INSTALLATION OF THE GEAR AXLE (USE OF IMPROPER BOLTS & THE WRONG NUMBER OF SHIMS), WHICH RESULTED IN A SUBSEQUENT FAILURE AND LOSS OF CONTROL… IMPROPER INSTALLATION OF THE GEAR AXLE (USE OF IMPROPER BOLTS & THE WRONG NUMBER OF SHIMS), WHICH RESULTED IN A SUBSEQUENT FAILURE AND LOSS OF CONTROL DURING THE LANDING ROLL.
Feb 15, 1990	RED BLUFF, CA	N9164T	Incident	substantial	THE PILOT'S LOSS OF DIRECTIONAL CONTROL DURING AN ATTEMPTED GO-AROUND AFTER HE SWERVED OFF THE RUNWAY AFTER LANDING WITH A CROSSWIND COMPONENT.
Feb 11, 1990	AUSTIN, TX	N52035	Incident	substantial	THE PILOT IN COMMAND'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE DURING A DOWNWIND LANDING. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE PILOT'S… THE PILOT IN COMMAND'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE DURING A DOWNWIND LANDING. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE PILOT'S LACK OF TOTAL EXPERIENCE IN THIS TYPE AIRPLANE.
Feb 10, 1990	PORTLAND, TX	N3110C	Incident	substantial	THE PILOT'S INADEQUATE COMPENSATION FOR WIND CONDITIONS, WHICH RESULTED IN A FAILURE TO ATTAIN A FLARE DURING THE LANDING. THE UNFAVORABLE WIND CONDI… THE PILOT'S INADEQUATE COMPENSATION FOR WIND CONDITIONS, WHICH RESULTED IN A FAILURE TO ATTAIN A FLARE DURING THE LANDING. THE UNFAVORABLE WIND CONDITON WAS A RELATED FACTOR.
Feb 08, 1990	HAUGAN, MT	N9342T	Incident	substantial	THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL DURING THE TAKEOFF ATTEMPT. A FACTOR IN THE ACCIDENT WAS THE ICY, SNOW COVERED CONDITION OF T… THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL DURING THE TAKEOFF ATTEMPT. A FACTOR IN THE ACCIDENT WAS THE ICY, SNOW COVERED CONDITION OF THE TAKEOFF AREA.
Dec 08, 1989	ALEXANDER LAKE, AK	N9418C	Incident	substantial	SELECTION OF UNSUITABLE TERRAIN BY THE PILOT. THE SNOW COVERED TERRAIN WAS A RELATED FACTOR.
Nov 24, 1989	ST. LOUIS, MO	N52158	Incident	substantial	THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO ADEQUATELY COMPENSATE FOR THE WIND. THE GUSTY, CROSSWIND CONDITION IS CONSIDERED A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR TO THE ACCIDENT.
Nov 18, 1989	PORT HEIDEN, AK	N3654C	Incident	substantial	THE PILOT'S INADEQUATE PREFLIGHT PREPARATION AND FAILURE TO IDENTIFY SUITABLE TERRAIN FOR TAKEOFF.
Oct 14, 1989	NIAGARA FALLS, NY	N7930V	Incident	substantial	THE PILOT'S LOSS OF DIRECTIONAL CONTROL DURING TAKEOFF ROLL DUE TO STRONG WIND GUSTS.
Sep 28, 1989	FLAGSTAFF, AZ	N519TW	Incident	substantial	FAILURE OF THE LEFT BRAKE. THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL WITH RUDDER AND TAILWHEEL STEERING WAS CONSIDERED TO BE A RELATED FACT… FAILURE OF THE LEFT BRAKE. THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL WITH RUDDER AND TAILWHEEL STEERING WAS CONSIDERED TO BE A RELATED FACTOR.
Sep 25, 1989	REDOUBT BAY, AK	N180KA	Incident	substantial	IMPROPER PLANNING/DECISION BY THE PILOT. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE UNFAVORABLE RUNWAY AND TERRAIN CONDITIONS.
Sep 09, 1989	YAKATAGA, AK	N2355C	Incident	substantial	THE PILOT FAILED TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL AND INADVERTENTLY ALLOWED THE AIRCRAFT TO GROUND LOOP. THE TAILWIND WAS A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR.
Sep 06, 1989	SANTA ANA, CA	N1739C	Incident	substantial	THE PILOT'S IMPROPER IN-FLIGHT PLANNING AFTER BEING ADVISED OF POSSIBLE WAKE TURBULENCE.
Sep 02, 1989	ANCHORAGE, AK	N2137Z	Minor	substantial	OIL LEAK IN THE OIL COOLER. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS WERE: OIL FILM ON THE WINDSHIELD, WHICH OBSCURED THE PILOT'S VISION (VISUAL PERCEPTION) AND HAMPERED … OIL LEAK IN THE OIL COOLER. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS WERE: OIL FILM ON THE WINDSHIELD, WHICH OBSCURED THE PILOT'S VISION (VISUAL PERCEPTION) AND HAMPERED HIS ABILITY TO ATTAIN PROPER RUNWAY ALIGNMENT, AN OBJECT (ROCK), AND HIGH VEGETATION BESIDE THE AIRSTRIP.
Sep 02, 1989	ENGLEWOOD, CO	N2705K	Incident	substantial	FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL, WHICH RESULTED IN A GROUND SWERVE. THE CROSSWIND WAS A RELATED FACTOR.
Aug 12, 1989	TOPEKA, KS	N24TW	Incident	substantial	THE PILOT'S POORLY PLANNED APPROACH AND FAILURE TO MAINTAIN A PROPER GLIDEPATH. A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR WAS THE FAILURE OF THE ENGINE TO SUPPLY POWER.
Jul 29, 1989	WASILLA, AK	N9681B	Serious (1)	substantial	INADEQUATE PREFLIGHT BY THE PILOT WHICH RESULTED IN FUEL STARVATION DUE TO AN INADEQUATE SUPPLY OF FUEL AND HIS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE AIRSPEED … INADEQUATE PREFLIGHT BY THE PILOT WHICH RESULTED IN FUEL STARVATION DUE TO AN INADEQUATE SUPPLY OF FUEL AND HIS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE AIRSPEED WHILE MANEUVERING BACK TOWARD THE LAKE WHICH RESULTED IN AN INADVERTENT STALL. THE HOUSE & TREES WERE CONSIDERED TO BE CONTRIBUTING FACTORS.
Jul 05, 1989	PORT ALSWORTH, AK	N1512C	Minor	substantial	A BLOCKED FUEL LINE BETWEEN THE FUEL SELECTOR AND THE ENGINE WHICH CAUSED FUEL STARVATION.
Jun 26, 1989	NAKNEK, AK	N2435F	Incident	substantial	THE PILOT'S SELECTION OF AN UNSUITABLE LANDING AREA.
Jun 20, 1989	ANCHORAGE, AK	N180SR	Incident	substantial	LOSS OF DIRECTIONAL CONTROL BY THE PILOT & INADVERTENT GROUND LOOP/SWERVE OF THE AIRCRAFT DURING THE LANDING.
Jun 17, 1989	BULLFROG, UT	N1846Z	Minor	substantial	THE PILOT FAILED TO COMPENSATE FOR WIND CONDITIONS DURING THE LANDING ROLL. THE CROSSWIND WAS CONSIDERED AS A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR. AN UNDERLYING FACTO… THE PILOT FAILED TO COMPENSATE FOR WIND CONDITIONS DURING THE LANDING ROLL. THE CROSSWIND WAS CONSIDERED AS A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR. AN UNDERLYING FACTOR TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE PILOT'S LACK OF EXPERIENCE IN PERFORMING CROSSWIND LANDINGS IN THE CESSNA 180.
Jun 14, 1989	PITTSBURGH, PA	N3420Y	Incident	substantial	LOSS OF CONTROL DURING LANDING ROLLOUT DUE TO EXCESSIVE APPLICATION OF BRAKES BY THE PILOT.
Jun 13, 1989	RENO, NV	N72WS	Incident	substantial	THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL DURING LANDING.

Disclaimer: This data is sourced from the NTSB Aviation Accident Database. NTSB events reflect reported accidents and incidents and do not necessarily indicate a defect in the aircraft type. Many events involve pilot error, weather conditions, maintenance issues, or other factors unrelated to the aircraft design. This information is provided for research purposes only — consult official NTSB reports for complete details.

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Cessna 180 Safety Record

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