Cessna 182Q accident near Springerville, Arizona, February 27, 1987
On February 27, 1987 at about 11:15 pm local time, a Cessna 182Q, registered N735PQ, was substantially damaged in an accident near Springerville, Arizona (Springerville-Babbit airport). 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
- February 27, 1987 · about 11:15 pm local time
- Place
- Springerville, Arizona · Springerville-Babbit · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 182Q · all 182Qs on the register
- Registration
- N735PQ · no longer on the register · serial 18265580
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
A CESSNA 182 COLLIDED WITH A SNOW BANK AFTER VEERING OFF RUNWAY 3. THE PILOT INDICATED THAT AFTER TOUCHDOWN THE AIRCRAFT BEGAN TO DRIFT RIGHT AND HE WAS UNABLE TO CORRECT IT BY APPLYING LEFT PEDAL. THE AIRCRAFT SUDDENLY VEERED LEFT AND THE PILOT APPLIED RIGHT PEDAL. THE PILOT THEN STATED HE LOST CONTROL AS THE AIRCRAFT OSCILLATED FROM RIGHT TO LEFT. THE AIRCRAFT THEN DEPARTED THE RUNWAY, STRUCK THE SNOW BANK, AND NOSED OVER. THE PILOT REPORTED THE TEMPERATURE WAS 32 DEGREES F AND THAT THERE WAS SOME FOG AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. HE ALSO REPORTED THE WINDS TO BE FROM 120 DEGREES AT 3 KNOTS AND WET AND ICY CONDITIONS ON THE RUNWAY. THE RIGHT FRONT SEAT PASSENGER INDICATED THAT SHE HEARD THE 'SKIDDING SOUND OF THE TIRES AND BRAKES'.
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: 153 hours in all; 153 in this make and model; 7 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days; 118 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,197 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 15, 1987; 4 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,950 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470U (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Combined Resources CO.
The flight
- Departed from: DVT Phoenix AZ at 10:10 pm
- Destination: Q35 Springerville AZ
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 3, 6,600 ft by 75 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 320° at 13 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 2,000 ft
- Temperature: 32°F (0°C), dew point 25°F (-4°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:56 pm from GUP, 84 miles away
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.
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.