Cessna 182Q accident near Edenton, North Carolina, November 14, 1985
On November 14, 1985 at about 2:50 pm local time, a Cessna 182Q, registered N735SS, was substantially damaged in an accident near Edenton, North Carolina (Edenton Municipal airport). It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 14, 1985 · about 2:50 pm local time
- Place
- Edenton, North Carolina · Edenton Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 182Q · all 182Qs on the register
- Registration
- N735SS · no longer on the register · serial 18265653
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE AIRCRAFT CRASHED INTO THE ABERMARLE SOUND AND SANK IN 18 FT OF WATER. THE PILOT WAS REPORTEDLY ON AN NDB APPROACH AND DESCENDED BELOW MDA. WITNESSES STATED THAT THE AIRCRAFT CIRCLED OVER HEAD ABOUT 15 MINUTES PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT. WITNESSES ALSO STATED THAT THE VISIBILITY WAS LIMITED TO 15 FEET DUE TO FOG. THE AIRCRAFT WAS RECOVERED AND THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE OF PRE- IMPACT FAILURE. THE PILOT WAS ATTEMPTING TO GET TO AN IMPORTANT BUSINESS MEETING TO MEET WITH COMPANY EXECUTIVES.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 5,000 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (expired)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,531 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 21, 1984; 331 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,950 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470-U (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MQI Mateo NC at 2:30 pm
- Destination: EDE Edenton NC
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 2 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; scat at 400 ft
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:30 pm from ECG, 25 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.