- Date
- September 3, 2025, 10:20 local (17:20 UTC)
- Place
- Reno, NV
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Taxi
- Aircraft
- N4603BCessna 180
- Defining event
- Taxi-from runway: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 4, 2025
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class
- Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office
- Western Pacific Region
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20250903013539A
- Case key
- 201038
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 while transitioning from the landing roll to taxi, which resulted in a ground loop.
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 of the tailwheel-equipped airplane reported that, after performing a normal three-point landing, he attempted to exit the runway onto a taxiway. The airplane was still travelling at high speed, and during the turn toward the taxiway, the airplane ground looped to the right. As a result, the left wing and horizontal stabilizer impacted the runway surface, resulting in substantial damage to both. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N4603B
- Reported as
- Cessna 180
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 31501
- Built
- 1955
- Airframe hours
- 2,769.9
- Engine
- Contenental O-470J, 225 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · August 20, 2025 · 5.6 hours before
- Destination
- Same as departure
- Airport
- RTS · Reno/Stead Airport, runway 8, 7,608 × 150 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- 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 · 2
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 59
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- BasicMed, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- April 10, 2024
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 847.4 total · 6.4 in this make and model · 847.4 as pilot in command · 15.8 in the last 90 days · 9.3 in the last 30 days · 0.8 in the last 24 hours
- Role
- Pilot-rated passenger
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Private, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Without waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Right
- Restraint
- 3-point
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 12,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 68 °F, dew point 50 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.31 inHg
- Observed at
- KRTS
- METAR
- METAR KRTS 031715Z AUTO 00000KT 10SM SCT095 BKN120 20/10 A3031 RMK AO2=
Docket · 3
The files NTSB released with the investigation on December 4, 2025, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 2.9 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.