Cessna A185F accident near Maxton, North Carolina, July 21, 1992
On July 21, 1992 at about 7:40 pm local time, a Cessna A185F, registered N1823R, was substantially damaged in an accident near Maxton, North Carolina (Laurinburg-Maxton airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S INADEQUATE COMPENSATION FOR WIND CONDITION AND THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND'S INADEQUATE SUPERVISION OF THE PILOT IN TRAINING.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 21, 1992 · about 7:40 pm local time
- Place
- Maxton, North Carolina · Laurinburg-Maxton · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna A185F · all A185Fs on the register
- Registration
- N1823R · registry record · serial 18502538
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PURPOSE OF THE FLIGHT WAS TO ALLOW ONE PILOT TO ATTAIN PROFICIENCY IN THE TAIL WHEEL EQUIPPED AIRPLANE. HE HAD COMPLETED ABOUT 3.5 HOURS IN THE AIRPLANE. ONE RUNWAY WAS CLOSED SO, RWY 5-23 WAS BEING USED. PRIOR TO DEPARTURE, THE WIND SOCK AT THE RWY END INDICATED THAT THE WINDS WERE FROM 090 AT 8 KTS. THE TERMINAL WIND SOCK SHOWED WINDS FROM 140. THIS WAS A COMMON OCCURRENCE, ACCORDING TO THE PIC. DURING THE FLIGHT, THE PRACTICING PILOT COMMENTED THAT THE CROSS WIND WAS INCREASING. ON THE FINAL LANDING THE AIRPLANE VEERED RIGHT, OFF OF THE RUNWAY, & COLLAPSED THE LEFT MAIN GEAR. THE PILOT SAID THAT AFTERWARDS THE WIND WAS NOTED TO BE ABOUT 190-200 DEGREES AT ABOUT 18 KTS. WITNESSES COMMENTED TO THE PILOT THAT THE WINDS WERE GUSTY AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT.
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: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 6,800 hours in all; 1,000 in this make and model; 195 in the last 90 days; 70 in the last 30 days; 2,500 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,915 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, May 5, 1992; 50 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,350 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-520D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 5, 6,489 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 200° at 18 knots, gusting 12
- Visibility: 6 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 5,500 ft
- Temperature: 91°F (33°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:46 pm from FAY, 30 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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.