Cessna 140 accident near Tioga, Texas, June 4, 1985
On June 4, 1985 at about 1:05 am local time, a Cessna 140, registered N3180N, was destroyed in an accident near Tioga, Texas. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. 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
- June 4, 1985 · about 1:05 am local time
- Place
- Tioga, Texas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 140 · all 140s on the register
- Registration
- N3180N · no longer on the register · serial 13438
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WITNESSES OBSERVED THE ACFT APCHG FROM THE NORTHWEST AT AN ESTIMATED ALT OF ABOUT 100 FT AGL. AS IT PASSED THEIR POSITION, THE PLT ROLLED INTO A STEEP (90 DEG) RIGHT BANK, THEN ROLL BACK OUT. THE WITNESSES REPORTED THAT AFTER THE ACFT ROLLED OUT OF THE BANK, IT APPEARED TO BE 'SUSPENDED IN MIDAIR' & THE 'WINGS ROCKED BACK AND FORTH.' THE NOSE THEN DROPPED & THE ACFT IMPACTED THE GROUND IN ABOUT A 15 DEG, NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE. AFTER IMPACT THE ACFT SKIDDED ABOUT 54 FT & CAME TO REST. NO PREIMPACT PART FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION WAS FND. A CHECK OF THE PLT'S BLOOD SHOWED AN ALCOHOL LVL OF 0.132%. WITNESSES REPORTED THAT THE WIND WAS FROM THE SOUTHEAST AT 15 GUSTING 25 KTS.
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: 420 hours in all; 340 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,429 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 14, 1984; 38 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,500 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental C-85-16F (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 135° at 15 knots, gusting 25
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 90°F (32°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:00 am from ADD, 25 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.