Rawdon Bros. Aircraft T1 accident near Phoenix, Arizona, December 24, 1984
On December 24, 1984 at about 2:00 am local time, a Rawdon Bros. Aircraft T1, registered N51FM, was substantially damaged in an accident near Phoenix, Arizona. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. 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
- December 24, 1984 · about 2:00 am local time
- Place
- Phoenix, Arizona · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Rawdon Bros. Aircraft T1
- Registration
- N51FM · registry record · serial T1-5CS
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT PLANNED TO FLY FROM SANTA ANA, CA. TO SCOTTSDALE, AZ. THE PLT REPORTED THAT THE ACFT HAD ENOUGH FUEL FOR 4 HRS OF FLYING TIME. THE ACFT'S FUEL GAGES ARE LOCATED ON THE WINGS & A FLASHLIGHT IS REQUIRED TO SEE THEM AT NIGHT. THE PLT STATED THAT HE WAS CARRYING AN OPERATIVE FLASHLIGHT, BUT HE DID NOT USE IT TO LOOK AT THE FUEL GAGES BECAUSE HE WAS CERTAIN HIS ACFT CONTAINED ENOUGH FUEL FOR THE FLT. AFTER FLYING FOR ABOUT 3.5 HOURS AND 12 MI FROM THE INTENDED DESTINATION, THE ENGINE SUDDENLY LOST ALL POWER. THE PLT ATTEMPTED TO MAKE A FORCED LANDING ON A ROAD.ON APPROACH THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH A TREE. THE POST-CRASH EXAM OF THE ACFT REVEALED ITS FUEL TANKS TO BE VIRTUALLY DRY.
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: 300 hours in all; 250 in this make and model; 12 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,100 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 1,850 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SNA Santa Ana CA at 11:25 pm
- Destination: SDL Scottsdale AZ
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, bright
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 52°F (11°C), dew point 10°F (-12°C)
- Observation at 7:00 pm
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.
Other NTSB records under N51FM 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.