Cessna 172M and Piper PA-28-140 mid-air collision near Camp Verde, Arizona, April 14, 1985
On April 14, 1985 at about 5:00 pm local time, 2 aircraft, Cessna 172M (N73708) and Piper PA-28-140 (N6439R), were involved in a mid-air collision near Camp Verde, Arizona. 2 people were killed and 2 people were seriously injured; 4 others were unhurt. 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
- April 14, 1985 · about 5:00 pm local time
- Place
- Camp Verde, Arizona · map
- Type
- Accident · mid-air collision
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed and 2 people were seriously injured; 4 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft 1
- Cessna 172M · all 172Ms on the register
- Registration
- N73708 · no longer on the register · serial 17267621
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
- Aircraft 2
- Piper PA-28-140 · all PA-28-140s on the register
- Registration
- N6439R · no longer on the register · serial 28-21621
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative for the Cessna 172M final · quoted from the NTSB record
BOTH ACFT INVOLVED IN THE COLLISION WERE PART OF A 4-PLANE FORMATION FLT EN ROUTE TO A GROUP FLY-IN. N6439R WAS SEEN TO CHANGE POSITIONS SEVERAL TIMES DURING THE FLT WHILE THE OTHER ACFT REMAINED STABLE. REPORTS FROM WITNESSES SAY THAT N6439R MADE 'CLOSE APPROACHES' & 'CROSS UNDERS' OF THE OTHER ACFT IN THE FLT. THE PLT OF N73708 SAID THAT FROM OFF HIS RIGHT SIDE 39R BANKED LEFT TO APPROACH HIS ACFT. WHEN THE BANK ANGLE OF 39R HAD NOT CHANGED AT 50 YDS DISTANCE, THE PLT OF 708 SAID HE STARTED A HARD EVASSIVE LEFT TURN BUT THE PROP OF 39R STRUCK THE BOTTOM OF HIS ACFT. THE VERSION TOLD BY THE PLT OF 39R WAS IN DISAGREEMENT WITH THE EVIDENCE & THE MAJORITY OF THE WITNESSES. ALL 3 OF THE 100 HR PVT PLTS SAID THEY WERE UNCOMFORTABLE WITH WHAT THE PLT OF 39R WAS DOING, BUT SINCE HE HAD A COM/CFII & 900 HRS, THEY THOUGHT 'HE KNEW WHAT HE WAS DOING.'
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 NTSB's narrative for the Piper PA-28-140 final · quoted from the NTSB record
BOTH ACFT INVOLVED IN THE COLLISION WERE PART OF A 4-PLANE FORMATION FLT EN ROUTE TO A GROUP FLY-IN. N6439R WAS SEEN TO CHANGE POSITIONS SEVERAL TIMES DURING THE FLT WHILE THE OTHER ACFT REMAINED STABLE. REPORTS FROM WITNESSES SAY THAT N6439R MADE 'CLOSE APPROACHES' & CROSS UNDERS' OF THE OTHER ACFT IN THE FLT. THE PLT OF N73708 SAID THAT FROM OFF HIS RIGHT SIDE 39R BANKED LEFT TO APPROACH HIS ACFT. WHEN THE BANK ANGLE OF 39R HAD NOT CHANGED AT 50 YDS DISTANCE, THE PLT OF 708 SAID HE STARTED A HARD EVASSIVE LEFT TURN BUT THE PROP OF 39R STRUCK THE BOTTOM OF HIS ACFT. THE VERSION TOLD BY THE PLT OF 39R WAS IN DISAGREEMENT WITH THE EVIDENCE & THE MAJORITY OF THE WITNESSES. ALL 3 OF THE 100 HR PVT PLTS SAID THEY WERE UNCOMFORTABLE WITH WHAT THE PLT OF 39R WAS DOING, BUT SINCE HE HAD A COM/CFII & 900 HRS, THEY THOUGHT 'HE KNEW WHAT HE WAS DOING.'
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 for the Cessna 172M from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 102 hours in all; 31 in this make and model; 21 in the last 90 days; 9 in the last 30 days; 68 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,464 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, April 9, 1985; 5 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-H2AD (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SDL Scottsdale AZ at 4:24 pm
- Destination: SEZ Sedona AZ
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 100° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 60 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 34°F (1°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:50 pm from PHX, 54 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 | 1 |
The factual record for the Piper PA-28-140 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 915 hours in all; 469 in this make and model; 330 in the last 90 days; 827 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,611 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 7, 1984; 64 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SDL Scottsdale AZ at 4:24 pm
- Destination: SEZ Sedona AZ
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.