- Date
- September 27, 2025, 16:20 local (22:20 UTC)
- Place
- Morgan, UT · runway/airport environment
- Injuries
- 4 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N9197CCessna 180
- Defining event
- Landing-landing roll: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 22, 2026
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class
- Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office
- Alaska Regional Office
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20250927014899A
- Case key
- 201753
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 the landing roll.
Findings · 2
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, while on approach in a tailwheel-equipped airplane, the windsocks and flags at the airport indicated the wind was light and variable. The approach and landing were stable and normal. During the landing roll out, a sudden gust of wind pushed the airplane sideways. The pilot attempted to correct with rudder and braking inputs, however, the airplane ground looped and came to rest near the edge of the runway. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing, left horizontal stabilizer and elevator. The pilot reported that there were no pre impact mechanical failures or malfunctions that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N9197C
- Reported as
- Cessna 180
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 31296
- Built
- 1954
- Airframe hours
- 6,493
- Engine
- Cont Motor O-470 SERIES, 225 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · April 21, 2025
- Departed
- 42U · Morgan, UT
- Destination
- Same as departure
- Airport
- 42U · Morgan County, runway 21, 3,904 × 50 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- Electronic flight bag or handheld device, ADS-B
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
- 50
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- BasicMed, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- August 8, 2025
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 369 total · 177 in this make and model · 369 as pilot in command · 13 in the last 90 days · 4 in the last 30 days · 0 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 350° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 79 °F, dew point 41 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.99 inHg
- Turbulence
- Moderate
- Observed at
- KHIF, 9 nm away
- METAR
- METAR KHIF 272155Z AUTO 35005KT 10SM CLR 26/05 A2999 RMK AO2 SLP100 T02640048=
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on June 22, 2026, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 2.1 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.