Cessna A185F accident near Chandler, Arizona, July 22, 1987
On July 22, 1987 at about 11:00 pm local time, a Cessna A185F, registered N252W, was substantially damaged in an accident near Chandler, Arizona (Stellar Airpark airport). It was an instructional 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
- July 22, 1987 · about 11:00 pm local time
- Place
- Chandler, Arizona · Stellar Airpark · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna A185F · all A185Fs on the register
- Registration
- N252W · registry record · serial 18503687
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE CFI INDICATED THAT THE TAILWHEEL BEGAN TO SHIMMY DURING ROLLOUT. AS FORWARD CONTROL YOKE PRESSURE WAS APPLIED THE SHIMMY WENT AWAY, HOWEVER, AS THE ACFT BEGAN TO SLOW DOWN, THE TAILWHEEL WAS LOWERED AND BEGAN TO SHIMMY AGAIN. AS THE ACFT CONTINUED TO SLOW IT VEERED TO THE RIGHT. THE CFI APPLIED LEFT RUDDER. INITIALLY THE ACFT CONTINUED TO THE RIGHT. SUBSEQUENTLY IT ROLLED LEFT, DRAGGING ITS LEFT WING AND COLLAPSING THE LEFT MAIN LANDING GEAR. INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE RETENTION BOLT FOR THE LEFT LANDING GEAR SPRING ASSEMBLY WAS BENT AND DISPLAYED ROTATIONAL SCORING AT ITS MID-POINT. THE THREADS OF BOTH THE BOLT AND ITS ASSOCIATED NUT WERE FOUND STRIPPED.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,160 hours in all; 56 in this make and model; 275 in the last 90 days; 104 in the last 30 days; 804 as pilot in command; 593 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 920 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 18, 1987; 100 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,350 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-520-D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: P19 Chandler AZ at 10:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 17, 4,005 ft by 55 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 350° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 6,000 ft
- Temperature: 99°F (37°C), dew point 43°F (6°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:00 pm from P19
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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 N252W 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.