Cessna 182 accident near North Canton, Ohio, July 13, 1985
On July 13, 1985 at about 9:15 pm local time, a Cessna 182, registered N3920D, was substantially damaged in an accident near North Canton, Ohio. It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured and 4 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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
- July 13, 1985 · about 9:15 pm local time
- Place
- North Canton, Ohio · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 4 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 182 · all 182s on the register
- Registration
- N3920D · no longer on the register · serial 34620
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PREFLIGHT, ENGINE RUNUP AND INITIAL TAKEOFF WERE UNEVENTFUL. AT APPROX 600 FT AGL THE ENGINE SPUTTERED FOR TWO OR THREE SECONDS THEN STOPPED. THE PILOT TURNED BACK TOWARD THE RUNWAY BUT WAS TOO LOW. HE CRASH LANDED IN A GRAVEL QUARRY AFTER CLIPPING POWER LINES. NO ENGINE ABNORMALITIES WERE NOTED DURING A SUBSEQUENT ENGINE TEARDOWN. THE REASON FOR THE ENGINE FAILURE COULD NOT BE DETERMINED. THE OPERATOR BELIEVED THAT EITHER THE MIXTURE CONTROL HAD BACKEDOFF DURING THE CLIMB OT THAT THE PARACHUTIST IN THE FRONT RT SEAT HAD INADVERTENTLY PULLED THE MIXTURE OFF WITH A PIECE OF HER EQUIPMENT DURING THE CLIMB, CAUSING THE POWER LOSS.
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; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 318 hours in all; 8 in this make and model; 49 in the last 90 days; 193 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,285 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, March 5, 1985; 53 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,650 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470-L (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Canton Air Sports, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: 54D Canton at 9:12 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 240° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 10,000 ft
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 4 |
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.