Beech C45H accident near Littlefield, Arizona, December 11, 1984
On December 11, 1984 at about 7:00 pm local time, a Beech C45H, registered N636CF, was substantially damaged in an accident near Littlefield, Arizona. 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 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
- December 11, 1984 · about 7:00 pm local time
- Place
- Littlefield, Arizona · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Beech C45H · all C45Hs on the register
- Registration
- N636CF · no longer on the register · serial AF636
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT STATED THAT HE ENCOUNTERED LOW CEILINGS & FOG IN THE MOUNTAIN PASSES. AFTER SEVERAL UNSUCCESSFUL ATTEMPTS TO CROSS THE MOUNTAINS HE BELIEVED HE DID NOT HAVE SUFFICIENT FUEL ON BOARD TO REACH ANY AIRPORTS TO THE SOUTH SO HE SELECTED A FLAT MESA & EXECUTED A PRECAUTIONARY LANDING. THE TERRAIN WAS SMOOTH BUT SOFT & THE ACFT NOSED OVER.
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: 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: 3,954 hours in all; 35 in this make and model; 35 in the last 90 days; 3,650 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,375 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 15, 1983; 35 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 8,625 lb
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: P&W 985AN14B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: IGM Kingman AZ at 5:45 pm
- Destination: SGU St George UT
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 4 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 200 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 39°F (4°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.
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.