Cessna 210D accident near Flagstaff, Arizona, December 7, 1985
On December 7, 1985 at about 1:53 am local time, a Cessna 210D, registered N3762Y, was substantially damaged in an accident near Flagstaff, Arizona (Pulliam Field). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 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
- December 7, 1985 · about 1:53 am local time
- Place
- Flagstaff, Arizona · Pulliam Field · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 210D · all 210Ds on the register
- Registration
- N3762Y · registry record · serial 21058262
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT NOTICED A WEAKNESS OF THE ACFT'S LEFT BRAKE DURING TAXI FOR TAKEOFF BUT ELECTED TO MAKE THE FLT. CONTROL TOWER PERSONNEL AT THE DESTINATION ARPT STATED THE ACFT LANDED LONG AND ATTEMPTED TO TURN ONTO THE RIGHT HIGHSPEED TAXIWAY. THE PLT STATED THAT AFTER STARTING THE RIGHT TURN HE TRIED TO TURN LEFT, BACK ONTO THE RWY, BUT THE ACFT CONTINUED THE RIGHT GROUND LOOP/SWERVE AND COLLIDED WITH A SNOWBANK.
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: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 3,594 hours in all; 338 in this make and model; 63 in the last 90 days; 2,755 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 3,100 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-520-A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PHX Phoenix AZ
- Destination: FLG Flagstaff AZ
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 21, 6,999 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 020° at 1 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 34°F (1°C), dew point 21°F (-6°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:55 am from FLG
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.
Other NTSB records under N3762Y 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.