Premium research interface

The modern interface for aviation safety intelligence.

Search investigations, review source evidence, monitor watched reports, and trace long-term patterns from one calm, data-first workspace.

63k+
Reports indexed
1940-2026
Coverage
Recent
Last data refresh
Featured Report

Loading…

Loading featured report…

Loading…
Open Report

Safety trends by operating rule

Track fatal and non-fatal accident patterns across Part 91, Part 135, and Part 121 operations.

Loading trend charts…

Browse the aviation graph

Move quickly by aircraft, airport, operator, and time with indexes built for research, not wandering.

Last Data Update

By Decade

By Month

Aircraft Manufacturer

More manufacturers

Airports

More airports

Operators

More operators

About

Aviation safety reports, made easier to study

NTSB Reports is an independent research and search tool for public aviation accident and incident records. It brings NTSB aviation reports, structured fields, docket files, extracted figures, photos, videos, and update history into one searchable interface.

The goal is practical safety education: make it faster to find relevant investigations, compare similar events, review factual records, and understand the evidence behind probable-cause and preliminary reports.

The investigative work and source records belong to the National Transportation Safety Board and the published investigation record. This site is not affiliated with or endorsed by the NTSB.

FAQs

NTSB Report

March 3, 1995 · Cessna 180J · N180BF

West Dover, VT

Overview

Report Status
Final with probable cause
Event Type
Accident
Date
March 3, 1995
Injury Outcomes
No injuries (1 uninjured)
Location
West Dover, VT
Aircraft
Cessna 180J
Tail Number
N180BF
Injuries
None
Aircraft Damage
Substantial
NTSB Number
NYC95LA067

THE PILOT REPORTED HE WAS CRUISING ABOUT 1,000 FT AGL, AT A LOW POWER SETTING, FOR APPROX 45 MIN. THE SKY WAS CLEAR, BUT THERE WAS FOG IN THE VALLEYS. WHEN POWER WAS ADDED FOR CLIMB, THE ENGINE BECAME ROUGH. ADDITION OF CARBURETOR HEAT AND SWITCHING FUEL TANKS DID NOT CORRECT THE PROBLEM. WHEN LEANED, THE ROUGHNESS SMOOTHED OUT, BUT THE ENGINE CONTINUED TO LOSE POWER. THE PILOT SET UP FOR A FORCED LANDING ON A FROZEN RESERVOIR. AT TOUCHDOWN, THE MAIN LANDING GEAR DUG INTO THE SNOW AND THE AIRPLANE NOSED OVER. AFTER THE ACCIDENT, THE ENGINE WAS RUN SATISFACTORILY.

NTSB Probable Cause

A LOSS OF POWER FOR UNDETERMINED REASONS. THE FROZEN SNOW COVERED TERRAIN WAS A FACTOR.

Full Narrative

On Friday, March 3, 1995, at 1015 eastern standard time, a Cessna 180J, N180BF, owned and piloted by Mr. Anthony S. Comunale, of Roxbury, Connecticut, made a forced landing on a frozen reservoir near West Dover, Vermont, after the engine lost power. The airplane received substantial damage and the pilot was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan had been filed for the personal transportation flight which was conducted under 14 CFR Part 91. In the NTSB Accident Report, the pilot stated: ...with the wind light, from the east, I arrived at the west side of Mt. Snow at about 3,000 feet. I continued north around Mr. Snow and the engine started to run rough and lost power, there wasn't much time to decide what to do so I looked for a place to set down. The engine was still running but I was to try to go any further over the mountains so I landed on the lake, a short roll out and the wheel dug in and the aircraft flipped over forward and stopped... When interviewed, the pilot reported he had been cruising at a low power setting, 2200 RPM, manifold pressure at the bottom of the green arc [15 inches] for 45 minutes, approximately 1000 feet above the ground. The sky above was clear, however there was fog in the valleys. As he neared his destination, he added power to climb over a mountain and the engine began to run rough. The situation was not corrected by changing fuel tanks or richening the mixture. When the mixture was leaned, the roughness improved, but the engine still continued to loose power. The pilot set up for a forced landing on Somerset Reservoir which was frozen and covered by snow. Just prior to touchdown, the pilot added power and received a partial response from the engine, however, the airplane was touching down and the pilot retarded the power. Upon touchdown, the airplane traveled approximately 30-40 feet and then nosed over. The depth of the snow at touchdown was approximately 2 feet. The airplane received substantial damage to the left wing and vertical stabilizer. The FAA reported the airplane was taken to Limington Harlin Airport in Limington, Maine for an engine run. In a written report, the FAA stated: ...The engine ran successfully, smooth, and strong for more than 2 minutes...It ran at 2,000 rpm, peaked at 2400 rpm, oil checked good, and temperature checked good....

Flight

Event TypeAccident
Event Time10:15 EST
Nearest Airport0nm
Runway0
Flight Plan FiledNone
Aircraft FireNo
Aircraft ExplosionNo

Aircraft

AircraftCessna 180J
Tail NumberN180BF
Aircraft CategoryAir
DamageSubstantial
Operating RulePart 91
Engines1
Engine TypeReciprocating
Engine DetailsContinental · O-470-R · Reciprocating · 230
Seats4

People & Injuries

Injury SummaryNo injuries (1 uninjured)
Fatal0
Serious0
Minor0
Uninjured1
Total1
Crew 1Age 53 · Second Class

Conditions

ConditionsVMC
LightDaylight
Wind40° @ 2 kt
Visibility10 sm
CeilingNone
Temperature / Dew Point25 C / 7 C
Altimeter30.00 inHg
Observation Time15:45
Weather SourceWFAC

Appendix: Source Data