Cessna 182J accident near Saint Johns, Arizona, April 2, 1986
On April 2, 1986 at about 6:21 pm local time, a Cessna 182J, registered N2691F, was substantially damaged in an accident near Saint Johns, Arizona (St Johns Muni airport). It was a personal 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
- April 2, 1986 · about 6:21 pm local time
- Place
- Saint Johns, Arizona · St Johns Muni · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 182J · all 182Js on the register
- Registration
- N2691F · no longer on the register · serial 18256791
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT SAID HIS WX BRIEFING INDCD VFR CONDS ALONG THE ROUTE WITH OCNL THUNDERSTORM (TSTM) ACTIVITY THAT MIGHT REQUIRE DIVERSION. AS HE WAS APCHG THE ST JOHNS ARPT, THE PLT SAW TSTMS & OVRCST CLDS AHEAD & DECIDED TO LAND & WAIT FOR THE WX TO IMPROVE. THE UNICOM OPERATOR ADVISED THAT THE WINDS FAVORED RWY 20 WITH A VELOCITY OF 20 GUSTING 25 KTS. THE PLT SAID THAT ON FINAL APCH, THE WINDS SHIFTED; HE NOTED THE 2 WINDSOCKS WERE SHOWING DIFFERENT DIRECTIONS. THE WINDSOCK AT THE INTERSECTION OF THE RWYS SHOWED A WIND FROM 270 DEG, FAVORING RWY 31. THE PLT LANDED NEAR THE CENTERLINE OF RWY 31. HE SAID HE WAS HOLDING CONTROLS FOR THE WIND WHEN A STRONG GUST GOT UNDER THE LEFT WING & PICKED IT UP. THE ACFT THEN RAN OFF THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE RWY, WENT INTO A DITCH & NOSED OVR. THE WIND DIRECTION METER IN THE ARPT TERMINAL WAS REPORTED TO BE INOP AT THE TIME THE PLT CALLED FOR HIS ARPT ADVISORY. THE DEMONSTRATED X-WIND COMPONENT FOR THE ACFT WAS 15 KTS.
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: 356 hours in all; 95 in this make and model; 39 in the last 90 days; 17 in the last 30 days; 302 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,010 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 7, 1986; 33 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,800 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470-R (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: CNM Carlsbad NM at 3:00 pm
- Destination: FLG Flagstaff AZ
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 31, 5,300 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 25 knots, gusting 35
- Visibility: 35 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds; not recorded
- Temperature: 39°F (4°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
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.