On July 6, 1998, a Cessna 180H (registration N91380) was involved in an aviation accident near Arlington, WA. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's inadequate compensation for the wind conditions. Gusting winds were a factor. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
A pilot lost control during takeoff after encountering a gust of wind, with a witness observing the aircraft's right wing rise and left wing strike the ground, causing it to invert.
Incident Overview
A pilot reported that after receiving automated weather information for the airport conditions, he taxied to the run-up area in preparation for departure. The pilot stated that he was aware of a crosswind from the left prior to departure. During the takeoff, he reported that he "received a gust of wind." The pilot had no memory of the sequence of events after this point.
Witness Account
A witness reported that he observed the accident airplane on short final when the right wing suddenly went up in the air and the left wing struck the ground. The airplane pivoted around on the left wing and came to rest inverted. The witness estimated that the winds were gusting at about 10 to 15 knots from the pilot's left side, and the airport flag was straight out.
Airport Manager Report
The airport manager reported that the Automated Weather Observing System (AWOS) was out of service at the time of the accident, but estimated that the winds were from 290 degrees at seven to eight knots, and gusting.