Cessna 182F accident near Oakley, Utah, November 10, 1989
On November 10, 1989 at about 6:00 pm local time, a Cessna 182F, registered N3625U, was destroyed in an accident near Oakley, Utah. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT DIVERTED HIS ATTENTION, MISJUDGED HIS ALTITUDE AND FAILED TO MAINTAIN CLEARANCE ABOVE THE TREES, WHILE MANEUVERING AT LOW ALTITUDE OVER MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN. THE MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN, HIGH DENSITY ALTITUDE, LOW AIRSPEED, AND TREES WERE CONTRIBUTING FACTORS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 10, 1989 · about 6:00 pm local time
- Place
- Oakley, Utah · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 182F · all 182Fs on the register
- Registration
- N3625U · no longer on the register · serial 18255025
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT & PAX INTENDED TO LOOK OVR PROPERTY & LOOK FOR MOOSE. THE PLT RPRTD THEY FLEW UP & DOWN SVRL CANYONS AT ALTS BTN8000 & 10,000 FT MSL. SHORTLY AFTER ENTERING A 45 DEG BANK TURN FOR A 2ND PASS OVER AN AREA, THE PLT HEARD A 'MUFFLED POP' THAT HE BELIEVED HAD COME FROM THE FWD PART OF THE ACFT. HE SAID HE NOTED A FLUCTUATION OF THE MANIFOLD PRESSURE & BELIEVED HE HAD AN ENG PRBLM. AT ABOUT THAT TIME, THE ACFT HIT TREES & CRASHED ON SNOW COVERED TERRAIN. DENSITY ALTITUDEWAS APRX 11,000 FT. THE REAR SEAT PASSENGER (WITH ONLY MINOR INJURIES) WALKED 6 MI FOR HELP. AN INVESTIGATION REVEALED THE INITIAL IMPACT OCCURRED WHEN THE RIGHT HORIZONTAL STABILIZER HIT A TREE AT APRX 35 FT AGL & 460 FT FROM THE FINAL RESTING PLACE. THE ACFT THEN FLEW APRX 300 FT, WHERE THE LEFT WING TIP HIT A 2ND TREE. BEYOND THE 2ND TREE, THE PROP HAD SEVERED NUMEROUS TREE BRANCHES. THE REAR SEAT PASSENGER STATED THE ACFT WAS CIRCLING AT LOW ALT; SHE DIDN'T HEAR ANY CHANGE IN ENG SOUND, BUT HEARD THE STALL WARNING JUST BFR CRASHING. NO PREIMPACT PART FAILURE/MALFUNCTION WAS FND.
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: 140 hours in all; 19 in this make and model; 9 in the last 90 days; 102 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,389 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 10, 1989; 476 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,800 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470-R (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Hill Flying Club
The flight
- Departed from: OGD Ogden UT at 5:15 pm
- Destination: OGD
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 40 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 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.