Cessna A185E accident near El Paso, Texas, November 12, 1983
On November 12, 1983 at about 6:04 pm local time, a Cessna A185E, registered N70083, was substantially damaged in an accident near El Paso, Texas (El Paso Intl. airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved. 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
- November 12, 1983 · about 6:04 pm local time
- Place
- El Paso, Texas · El Paso Intl. · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna A185E · all A185Es on the register
- Registration
- N70083 · registry record · serial 185-01950
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT GROUNDLOOPED DURING LANDING ON AN INSTRUCTIONAL FLT. THE LANDING WAS ON RWY 22 AND THE WIND WAS FROM 270 DEGREES AT 9 KTS. AFTER TOUCHDOWN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL WAS LOST AND THE ACFT VEERED TO THE RIGHT COLLAPSING THE LEFT MAINLANDING GEAR.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,877 hours in all; 195 in this make and model; 197 in the last 90 days; 3,588 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,418 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 10, 1983; 57 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,300 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-520-D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: TUS Tucson AZ at 1:30 pm
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 22, 11,012 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 40 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 36°F (2°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 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.
Other NTSB records under N70083 the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.