Beech A36TC accident near Sedona, Arizona, March 24, 1983
On March 24, 1983 at about 4:20 pm local time, a Beech A36TC, registered N3863U, was destroyed in an accident near Sedona, Arizona (Sedona airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people were killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
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
- March 24, 1983 · about 4:20 pm local time
- Place
- Sedona, Arizona · Sedona · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people were killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Beech A36TC · all A36TCs on the register
- Registration
- N3863U · no longer on the register · serial EA-219
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING PREFLT BRIEFINGS, THE PLT WAS BRIEFED TO EXPECT DETERIORATING WX CONDITIONS WITH ASSOCIATED FLT PRECAUTIONS FOR MOUNTAIN OBSCUREMENT, ICING & MODERATE TURBULENCE. THE WX BRIEFINGS WERE COMPLETE, EXCEPT DUE TO AN INOPERATIVE CIRCUIT, THE 0654 PRESCOTT & THE 0530 TO 0851 FLAGSTAFF OBSERVATIONS WERE NOT TRANSMITTED. WHILE ENROUTE, THE ACFT CRASHED INTO THE EASTERN FACE OF A MOUNTAIN, APPRX 9 MINORTHWEST OF THE SEDONA ARPT AT APRX 6000 FT MSL. THE ARPT MANAGER AT SEDONA ESTIMATED A 500 FT OVERCAST, VISIBILITY 5 MI WITH INTERMITTENT RAIN & SNOW SHOWERS. THE SEDONA ARPT WAS 1300 FT BELOW THE ACCIDENT SITE. ACCORDING TO AN NTSB WX STUDY, THE CLOUD BASES WERE AT 5000 TO 6000 FT MSL, CLOUD TOPS AT 11,000 FT, HIGHER CLOUD LAYERS ABOVE, FLT VISIBILITY 0 MI IN CLOUDS, MODERATE TURBULENCE BELOW 10,000 FT, SNOW & RAIN, FREEZING LEVEL 7000 FT.
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: 135 hours in all; 22 in this make and model; 91 in the last 90 days; 51 in the last 30 days; 83 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 175 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 9, 1982; 33 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,650 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-520-UB (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: LHU Lake Havasu AZ at 3:23 pm
- Destination: ABQ Albuquerque NM
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 200° at 10 knots
- Sky: not recorded; not recorded
- Temperature: 45°F (7°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| 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.
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.