- Date
- April 10, 2025, 14:43 local (21:43 UTC)
- Place
- Oakland, CA
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N7779KCessna 180J
- Defining event
- Takeoff: 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
- Western Pacific Region
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20250410017869A
- Case key
- 200017
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 roll with a left crosswind.
Findings · 3
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 a takeoff roll in the tailwheel-equipped airplane, he observed a left crosswind. As the tail lifted off the runway, the airplane veered left, and he subsequently applied full right rudder pedal. As the airplane approached the left edge of the runway, he applied pressure to the right brake, and the airplane ground looped to the right. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing and elevator. The pilot reported that there were no preimpact mechanical failures or anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. At the time of the accident, the pilot was departing runway 33 with wind from 260° at 13 knots.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N7779K
- Reported as
- Cessna 180J
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 18052728
- Built
- 1976
- Airframe hours
- 3,191.7
- Engine
- Continental O-470-50, 270 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · January 28, 2025 · 16.2 hours before
- Destination
- O27 · Oakdale, CA
- Airport
- OAK · San Francisco Bay Oakland Intl, runway 15/33, 3,376 × 75 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- ADS-B, Auto-pilot, Electronic flight bag or handheld device, Stall warning system
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
- 60
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- April 19, 2024
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 4-point
- Flight hours
- 536 total · 21 in this make and model · 484 as pilot in command · 32 in the last 90 days · 7 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 280° at 12 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 25,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 64 °F, dew point 52 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.23 inHg
- Observed at
- KOAK
- METAR
- KOAK 102153Z 28012KT 10SM FEW180 BKN250 18/11 A3023 RMK AO2 SLP238 T01830111
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on July 3, 2025, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 2.6 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.