Cessna 182P accident near Cottonwood, Arizona, November 14, 1985
On November 14, 1985 at about 3:30 pm local time, a Cessna 182P, registered N7036S, was destroyed in an accident near Cottonwood, Arizona (Cottonwood airport). It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed and 1 person was seriously injured. 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
- November 14, 1985 · about 3:30 pm local time
- Place
- Cottonwood, Arizona · Cottonwood · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed and 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 182P · all 182Ps on the register
- Registration
- N7036S · no longer on the register · serial 18265050
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WITNESSES SAW THE PLT DEPART WITH FROST COVERING THE ACFT & WITHOUT EITHER A RUNUP OR WARMUP. THE WITNESSES REPORTED THAT THE PLT 'SCRAPED THE FROST FROM A SMALL SQUARE DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF HIM ON THE WINDSHIELD' JUST PRIOR TO TAKEOFF. TEMP & DEW POINT WERE 22 & 17 DEGREES RESPECTIVELY FOR THE EARLY MORNING DEPARTURE, & THE ACFT REMAINED OVERNIGHT IN THE COLD TEMPS WITH PARTIALLY EMPTY FUEL TANKS. DURING THE INITIAL CLIMB AT ABOUT 400 FT AGL, WITNESSES REPORTED THAT THE ENG BEGAN TO RUN ROUGH AND LOSE POWER. PLT BEGAN A DESCENDING LEFT 270 DEGREE TURN BACK TOWARD THE RWY & CRASHED INTO A DRY RIVER BANK WITH LITTLE FORWARD VELOCITY & MODERATE VERTICAL SPEED. EXAMINATION DISCLOSED NO MECHAINCAL PREIMPACT FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION OF THE ENG.
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: 500 hours in all; 180 in this make and model; 90 in the last 90 days; 30 in the last 30 days; 450 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,200 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 30, 1984; 180 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,950 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470-S (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Destination: 8E6 Cordes AZ
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 14, 4,250 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 250° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 65 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 21°F (-6°C), dew point 18°F (-8°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:50 pm from PRC, 19 miles away
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.
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.