Cessna 182N accident near Palm Springs, California, October 6, 1985
On October 6, 1985 at about 7:16 pm local time, a Cessna 182N, registered N92259, was substantially damaged in an accident near Palm Springs, California (Palm Springs Muni airport). It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. 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
- October 6, 1985 · about 7:16 pm local time
- Place
- Palm Springs, California · Palm Springs Muni · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 182N · all 182Ns on the register
- Registration
- N92259 · no longer on the register · serial 18260116
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING ARRIVAL, THE PLT ENTERED THE TRAFFIC PATTERN BEHIND OTHER ACFT TO LAND ON RWY 12. AT THAT TIME, A BOEING 727 WAS WAITING TO TAKEOFF ON THE SAME RWY. AT 1914:52, THE PLT (OF N92259) WAS INSTRUCTED TO START A LEFT TURN TO THE BASE LEG. AT 1915:04, THE BOEING WAS CLEARED TO TAXI INTO PSN & HOLD, BUT BE READY FOR AN IMMEDIATE TAKEOFF. WHEN OTHER ACFT HAD CLEARED FROM THE RWY AT 1915:41, THE BOEING WAS CLEARED FOR TAKEOFF. THE BOEING IMMEDIATELY BEGAN TAKING OFF AT 1915:44 & THE CONTROLLER INSTRUCTED N92259 TO SQUARE HIS TURN TO FINAL APCH FOR SPACING & TO USE CAUTION FOR WAKE TURBU-LENCE. THE PLT STATED THAT HE LANDED APRX 90 SEC AFTER THE BOEING TOOK OFF. REPORTEDLY, N92259 LANDED ABOUT 1/4 OF THE WAY DOWN THE RWY; HOWEVER, THE ACFT TOUCHED DOWN HARD & BOUNCED 3 OR 4 TIMES, DAMAGING THE PROP, NOSE GEAR & FIREWALL. AFTER LANDING, THE ACFT ROLLED TO THE END OF THE RWY & THE PLT TAXIED TO THE PARKING AREA.
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: 273 hours in all; 12 in this make and model; 15 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 239 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,569 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded, April 6, 1985; 112 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,950 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-540 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: GCN Grand Canyon AZ at 5:45 pm
- Destination: PSP Palm Springs CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 12, 7,013 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 290° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 20,000 ft; scat at 12,000 ft
- Temperature: 90°F (32°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:49 pm from PSP
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.