Cessna 185F accident near Mesa, Arizona, February 13, 2004
On February 13, 2004 at about 9:26 pm local time, a Cessna 185F, registered N4836Q, was substantially damaged in an accident near Mesa, Arizona (Falcon Field). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's inadequate compensation for the crosswind and his failure to maintain directional control, which resulted in an inadvertent ground loop. A factor in this accident was the pilot's diverted attention.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 13, 2004 · about 9:26 pm local time
- Place
- Mesa, Arizona · Falcon Field · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 185F · all 185Fs on the register
- Registration
- N4836Q · registry record · serial 18503561
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane ground looped during landing and swerved off the runway. During the landing rollout while practicing touch-and-go takeoffs and landings, the pilot looked down to set the trim. When he looked up, the airplane was turning right, and the left wing tip was almost touching the ground. The airplane then veered off the runway, and the left wing impacted the ground. The pilot reported that no mechanical problems were experienced with the airplane. The pilot's total flying experience was about 265 hours, with the majority of the flight time in conventional gear airplanes. He had approximately 7 hours of flight time in this make and model of airplane, accumulating 2 hours of flight time in the last thirty days. To prevent similar accidents, the pilot recommended "not looking down, and flying the airplane until it stops." About the time of the accident, the 90-degree right crosswind component was approximately 8 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; single-engine sea
- Flight time: 264 hours in all; 7 in this make and model; 4 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days; 194 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: June 10, 2003
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 8,600 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 1, 2003; 10 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,350 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-520-D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: FFZ Mesa AZ at 9:21 pm
- Destination: FFZ Mesa AZ
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 22R, 3,801 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 300° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 3°F (-16°C)
- Altimeter: 30.14 inHg
- Observation at 9:51 pm from FZZ
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.
Other NTSB records under N4836Q 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.