What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On August 14, 2025, a Cessna 180 aircraft was completing the final leg of a flight from columbia, CA (O22) to yakima, WA, at 9,500 feet. Due to a marine layer over the intended destination of lake wohlford (8CL1), the flight diverted to lake riverside estates (54CL).
The aircraft entered the pattern for runway 28 at 4,400 feet and conducted a stabilized approach at approximately 60 knots. A ground witness confirmed the stability of the approach and landing. Shortly after touchdown, the aircraft drifted left toward the runway shoulder. Corrective rudder inputs were ineffective, and the aircraft ground-looped.
The aircraft came to an abrupt stop. The pilot was uninjured and exited through the passenger door with assistance from another pilot on scene. Emergency responders arrived shortly thereafter. The aircraft was removed from the runway using a tractor, and fuel was drained from both tanks.
Initial inspection revealed substantial damage: the left landing gear collapsed under the fuselage, the left wing sustained structural deformation wrinkles, and the propeller tips were bent. Additional damage, including separation of the right main mount landing gear fixture, was photographed on subsequent walk-around by the pilot.
As the FAA filed it
ON AUGUST 14, 2025, A CESSNA 180 AIRCRAFT WAS COMPLETING THE FINAL LEG OF A FLIGHT FROM COLUMBIA, CA (O22) TO YAKIMA, WA, AT 9,500 FEET. DUE TO A MARINE LAYER OVER THE INTENDED DESTINATION OF LAKE WOHLFORD (8CL1), THE FLIGHT DIVERTED TO LAKE RIVERSIDE ESTATES (54CL).
THE AIRCRAFT ENTERED THE PATTERN FOR RUNWAY 28 AT 4,400 FEET AND CONDUCTED A STABILIZED APPROACH AT APPROXIMATELY 60 KNOTS. A GROUND WITNESS CONFIRMED THE STABILITY OF THE APPROACH AND LANDING. SHORTLY AFTER TOUCHDOWN, THE AIRCRAFT DRIFTED LEFT TOWARD THE RUNWAY SHOULDER. CORRECTIVE RUDDER INPUTS WERE INEFFECTIVE, AND THE AIRCRAFT GROUND-LOOPED.
THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO AN ABRUPT STOP. THE PILOT WAS UNINJURED AND EXITED THROUGH THE PASSENGER DOOR WITH ASSISTANCE FROM ANOTHER PILOT ON SCENE. EMERGENCY RESPONDERS ARRIVED SHORTLY THEREAFTER. THE AIRCRAFT WAS REMOVED FROM THE RUNWAY USING A TRACTOR, AND FUEL WAS DRAINED FROM BOTH TANKS.
INITIAL INSPECTION REVEALED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE: THE LEFT LANDING GEAR COLLAPSED UNDER THE FUSELAGE, THE LEFT WING SUSTAINED STRUCTURAL DEFORMATION WRINKLES, AND THE PROPELLER TIPS WERE BENT. ADDITIONAL DAMAGE, INCLUDING SEPARATION OF THE RIGHT MAIN MOUNT LANDING GEAR FIXTURE, WAS PHOTOGRAPHED ON SUBSEQUENT WALK-AROUND BY THE PILOT.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.