Cessna 182J accident near Erie, Colorado, March 21, 1985
On March 21, 1985 at about 7:10 pm local time, a Cessna 182J, registered N3354F, was destroyed in an accident near Erie, Colorado (Tri-County airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed and 2 people were seriously injured. 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
- March 21, 1985 · about 7:10 pm local time
- Place
- Erie, Colorado · Tri-County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed and 2 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 182J · all 182Js on the register
- Registration
- N3354F · no longer on the register · serial 18257354
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
REPORTEDLY, THE PLT HAD CALLED THE ARPT OFFICE (UNICOM) & WAS ADVISED THAT RWY 15/33 WAS CLOSED. AT ABOUT THE TIME N3354F WAS ARRIVING, A MILITARY HELICOPTER LANDED ON RWY 27. THE PLT ASKED A PASSENGER TO TELL HIM WHICH WAY THE WIND SOCK WAS BLOWING & SHE REPLIED THAT IT WAS 'FLYING WEST.' THE PLT ELECTED TO LAND ON RWY 27 WHICH HAD A 533 FT DISPLACED THRESHOLD & HAD A DOWNHILL GRADE OF 1.52%. WITNESSES REPORTED THAT THE ACFT WAS FAST ON FINAL APCH & LANDED LONG. SUBSEQUENTLY, IT WENT OFF THE RGT SIDE OF THE RWY, NEAR THE DEPARTURE END, HIT A RWY LIGHT & CONTINUED ACROSS ROUGH TERRAIN. THE PLT APPLIED POWER & THE ACFT BECAME AIRBORNE AT THE EDGE OF A WIDE GULLY AREA. IT THEN SETTLED & IMPACTED A DIRT BANK AFTER CROSSING THE GULLY. SKID MARKS FROM THE ACFT WERE FOUND STARTING ABOUT 1366 FT FROM THE DEPARTURE END OF THE RWY & CONTINUED UNTIL THE ACFT LEFT THE RWY. NEARBY AT THE JEFFCO ARPT, THE 1145 MST WIND WAS FROM 140 DEG AT 14 KTS. THE DENSITY ALT AT THE CRASH SITE WAS APRX 6100 FT.
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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 172 hours in all; 104 in this make and model; 12 in the last 90 days; 6 in the last 30 days; 134 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,660 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 6, 1984; 104 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,800 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470-R (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: LXV Leadville CO at 6:15 pm
- Destination: 48V
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 27, 3,830 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 140° at 14 knots
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 12,000 ft
- Temperature: 54°F (12°C), dew point 21°F (-6°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:45 pm from BJC, 7 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 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.