Incident Overview
During a cross-country flight, a Cessna 180 experienced an in-flight structural breakup. The wreckage was dispersed across rolling terrain over an area of approximately one mile. Initial debris along the path included outboard sections of the left wing. Additionally, the right horizontal stabilizer and the outboard portion of the right wing failed prior to impact. Following the crash, the fuselage was consumed by fire.
Pilot Report from Accompanying Aircraft
The pilot of a Cessna 195, who was flying in the same group, provided a firsthand account. As the two aircraft were climbing to remain above cloud layers, the Cessna 195 pilot encountered a strong downdraft. The aircraft then entered the clouds, where it experienced moderate to severe turbulence and alternating updrafts and downdrafts. These conditions caused the vertical speed indicator to exceed both its upper and lower limits. The Cessna 195 pilot managed to recover below the clouds, at which point he lost radio and visual contact with the Cessna 180. Upon landing at the intended destination, he learned that the Cessna 180 had crashed in the same area where he had encountered the severe weather.
Wreckage Distribution
Investigators found that the wreckage trail began with components from the left wing's outboard sections. The right horizontal stabilizer and the outboard section of the right wing had also separated in flight. The main fuselage impacted the ground and was subsequently engulfed by fire. The scattered debris field covered rolling terrain over a distance of about one mile.
Summary
The Cessna 180 broke apart while airborne during a cross-country flight. A contemporaneous report from a Cessna 195 pilot described strong downdrafts, severe turbulence, and extreme vertical speed excursions in the same area. No further details regarding the circumstances leading to the breakup have been released by the investigation.