Cessna 182J accident near Marble Canyon, Arizona, August 31, 2003
On August 31, 2003 at about 3:30 pm local time, a Cessna 182J, registered N2898F, was substantially damaged in an accident near Marble Canyon, Arizona (Marble Canyon airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the failure of the pilot to retract the flaps and attain a sufficient airspeed during the attempted go-around, which resulted in a stall. The full nose-up trim was a contributing factor.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 31, 2003 · about 3:30 pm local time
- Place
- Marble Canyon, Arizona · Marble Canyon · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 182J · all 182Js on the register
- Registration
- N2898F · no longer on the register · serial 18256998
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane stalled and then collided with the ground during an attempted go-around from runway 21. On final approach, the pilot configured the airplane with full flaps and full nose-up trim. During the intial touchdown, the airplane bounced. The pilot elected to go-around and added full power without retracting the flaps or changing the trim setting. About 10 feet agl, the left wing stalled. The airplane came to rest inverted on a 030-degree heading. The POH for the airplane states that during a go-around, the pilot should add full power, retract the flaps to 20 degrees, and obtain 55 knots.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 374 hours in all; 194 in this make and model; 30 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days; 294 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: August 30, 2002
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 2,800 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: P52 Cottonwood AZ at 2:30 pm
- Destination: L41 Marble Canyon AZ
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 210, 3,715 ft by 35 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 30.14 inHg
- Observation at 3:56 pm from KPGA, 12 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.