Cessna P210N accident near Chandler, Arizona, December 15, 1986
On December 15, 1986, a Cessna P210N, registered N3605P, was substantially damaged in an accident near Chandler, Arizona. It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was 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 15, 1986
- Place
- Chandler, Arizona · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna P210N · all P210Ns on the register
- Registration
- N3605P · registry record · serial P21000040
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE THE PLT WAS RECEIVING VECTORS FOR ARRIVAL AT CHANDLER, AZ, THE ENG LOST POWER. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE PLT MADE AN EMERGENCY LANDING ABOUT 1 MI NORTH OF THE ARPT. HE RPRTD THAT HE HAD FILLED THE FUEL TANKS AT CHANDLER & HAD FLOWN TO DURANGO, CO ON 12/5/86. ON THE DAY OF THE ACCIDENT, HE HAD RETURNED TO CHANDLER WITHOUT REFUELING. AN EXAM OF THE ACFT REVEALED THE FUEL TANKS WERE EMPTY. NO MECHANICAL PART FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION WAS RPRTD.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (invalid medical for flight)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 4,000 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-520-P (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 5C00 Durango CO at 10:15 pm
- Destination: P19 Chandler AZ
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 4, 4,395 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 320° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 25 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 25,000 ft; scat at 12,000 ft
- Temperature: 68°F (20°C), dew point 34°F (1°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:49 pm from PHX, 10 miles away
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.