- Date
- June 8, 2025, 14:00 local (21:00 UTC)
- Place
- Flagstaff, AZ
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N605NBCessna 180J
- Defining event
- Landing-landing roll: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class
- Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office
- Alaska Regional Office
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20250608005849A
- Case key
- 200312
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The pilot’s failure to maintain directional control during takeoff in variable and gusty wind, which resulted in a ground loop.
Findings · 4
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The pilot reported that, during takeoff in a tailwheel-equipped airplane, in variable and gusty wind conditions, the airplane veered to the left. The pilot attempted to correct by applying opposite rudder and brakes and subsequently aborted the takeoff. During the aborted takeoff, the airplane ground looped to the right which resulted in substantial damage to the right wing. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N605NB
- Reported as
- Cessna 180J
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 18052732
- Built
- 1976
- Airframe hours
- 6,913
- Engine
- Cont Motor O-470 SERIES, 230 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Zulu Aviation LLC
- Registered owner
- Zulu Aviation LLC
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · February 25, 2025 · 43 hours before
- Destination
- Same as departure
- Airport
- FLG · Flagstaff Pulliam, runway 03, 8,800 × 150 ft, asphalt
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 49
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Airline transport, Commercial, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine sea, Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- August 16, 2024
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 12,000 total · 600 in this make and model · 9,150 as pilot in command · 109 in the last 90 days · 44 in the last 30 days · 3 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 9,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 77 °F, dew point 36 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.23 inHg
- Turbulence
- Moderate
- Observed at
- KFLG
- METAR
- KFLG 080857Z AUTO 00000KT 10SM CLR 12/M02 A3023 RMK AO2 SLP133 T01171017 58009 $
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on August 11, 2025, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1.8 MB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.