- Date
- October 9, 2025, 14:30 local (21:30 UTC)
- Place
- Imnaha, OR
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N249MDCessna 180
- Defining event
- Takeoff-rejected takeoff: Nose over/nose down
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report January 9, 2026
- 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
- 20251009015589A
- Case key
- 201848
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 continued application of brakes during an aborted takeoff in a tailwind on down-sloping terrain, which resulted in a nose-over.
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 stated that he was departing from a down-sloping runway surrounded by terrain that permitted departures only in one direction. He estimated there was a 12-knot tailwind. During the takeoff roll, as the airplane neared the end of the runway the pilot decided to abort the takeoff. The pilot applied and maintained braking input as the airplane briefly became airborne. The airplane touched back down, nosed over, and came to rest inverted on the runway. During the accident sequence, the airplane incurred damage to both wings. The pilot reported that there were no pre-impact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation of the airplane.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N249MD
- Reported as
- Cessna 180 (H)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 18051501
- Built
- 1965
- Airframe hours
- 6,907
- Engine
- Continental O-470, 230 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal; Standard, Utility
- Last inspection
- Annual · December 4, 2024
- Airport
- OR9 · Lord Flat USFS Airport, runway 01, 1,728 × 15 ft, grass/turf
- Equipment
- Electronic multifunction display, 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
- 61
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine sea, Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- July 13, 2025
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 760.3 total · 333 in this make and model · 669.9 as pilot in command · 27.8 in the last 90 days · 16.1 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 30° at 12 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 75 °F
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on January 9, 2026, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 4.9 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.