- Date
- May 18, 2026, 09:10 local (15:10 UTC)
- Place
- Arco, ID · Arco/Butte County Airport
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N2479CCessna 180
- Defining event
- Landing-landing roll: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report July 1, 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 - Boise FSDO
- Case key
- 203023
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 with a right 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 of the tailwheel equipped airplane reported that, during a full-stop landing with a right crosswind, the airplane touched down and the right wing lifted. The pilot attempted a go-around, however, realized the airplane was too slow for a go-around and effective recovery, and reduced power to idle. Subsequently, the airplane veered to the right and ground looped. The airplane exited the right side of the runway and nosed over, coming to rest inverted. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left-wing strut and rudder. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. At the time of the accident, the pilot reported that he was landing on runway 24 with wind from 330° at 18 knots.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N2479C
- Reported as
- Cessna 180
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 30779
- Built
- 1954
- Airframe hours
- 4,512.4
- Engine
- Continental O-470-S2B, 230 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- To The Wind LLC
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · November 25, 2025
- Departed
- MLD · Malad, ID
- Destination
- Same as departure
- Airport
- AOC · Arco-Butte County, runway 24, 6,610 × 75 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- Stall warning system, ADS-B, Handheld GPS, Electronic flight bag or handheld device
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
- 62
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Airline transport, Commercial, Private, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Waiver time limited special
- Last flight review
- April 4, 2026
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 5,540.5 total · 679.2 in this make and model · 5,480.1 as pilot in command · 100.4 in the last 90 days · 41.2 in the last 30 days · 1.4 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 330° at 18 knots
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 45 °F, dew point 21 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.94 inHg
- Observed at
- KOAC, 0.1 nm away
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on July 1, 2026, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 5.6 MB in all.