Cessna 182Q accident near Abilene, Texas, January 20, 1985
On January 20, 1985, a Cessna 182Q, registered N735QN, was destroyed in an accident near Abilene, Texas (Abilene Muni airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was 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
- January 20, 1985
- Place
- Abilene, Texas · Abilene Muni
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 182Q · all 182Qs on the register
- Registration
- N735QN · no longer on the register · serial 18265602
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DETERIORATING WX WAS ENCOUNTERED & THE PLT ELECTED TO LAND SHORT OF THE ORIGINAL DESTN. HE WAS PROVIDED VECTORS FOR AN ILS APCH TO RWY 35R AT ABILINE, TX. DURING THE NIGHT APCH, HE ENCOUNTERED STRONG GUSTY WINDS, SEVERE TURBULENCE & RESTRICTED VISIBILITY. THE PLT STATED THAT AT LEAST ONE TIME, THE AIRSPEED DROPPED 20 KTS, INDICATING WIND SHEAR. ALSO, HE STATED THAT AS HE CONTACTED THE TOWER, HE GOT A BRIEF LOOK AT THE ARPT LIGHTS & STARTED A GENTLE TURN TO CORRECT TO THE LOCALIZER. SHORTLY AFTER THAT, AFTER HE WAS CLEARED FOR THE ILS APCH & LANDING, THE ACFT IMPACTED THE GROUND WHILE STILL SOUTH OF THE OUTER MARKER. PRIOR TO THE FLT, THE PLT HAD OBTAINED A WX BRIEFING & WAS WARNED OF WIDE SPREAD CLOUD COVER, GUSTY WINDS & WIND SHEAR ASSOCIATED WITH A PASSING FRONTAL SYS.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 464 hours in all; 26 in this make and model; 15 in the last 90 days; 233 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 683 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 7, 1984; 122 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,950 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470-U (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: FTW Fort Worth TX at 11:33 pm
- Destination: ABI
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 35R, 7,200 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 360° at 25 knots, gusting 35
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 1,200 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 46°F (8°C), dew point 34°F (1°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
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.