Piper PA-18-135 accident near Cottonwood, Arizona, October 30, 1992
On October 30, 1992 at about 5:41 pm local time, a Piper PA-18-135, registered N2221L, was destroyed in an accident near Cottonwood, Arizona. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
AN INADVERTENT STALL AND DESCENT INTO TERRAIN WHEN THE PILOT FAILED TO MAINTAIN SUFFICIENT AIRSPEED AND ALTITUDE ABOVE THE GROUND.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 30, 1992 · about 5:41 pm local time
- Place
- Cottonwood, Arizona · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-18-135 · all PA-18-135s on the register
- Registration
- N2221L · no longer on the register · serial 18-4018
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE CERTIFICATED PRIVATE PILOT AND A PASSENGER WERE CONDUCTING A PERSONAL FLIGHT NEAR MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN TO LOOK FOR POSSIBLE OFF AIRPORT LANDING SPOTS. THE PILOT REPORTEDLY HAD COMMENTED ABOUT PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE IN BUSH FLYING, INCLUDING LANDING ON DIRT ROADS. THE AIRPLANE WAS OBSERVED ABOUT 100 TO 200 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND IN A SMALL CANYON NEAR A SWITCHBACK AREA ALONG A MOUNTAIN ROAD. THE AIRPLANE WAS THEN OBSERVED TO RAPIDLY DESCEND INTO THE GROUND, CRASHING IN A NEAR VERTICAL NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE. A PILOT WITNESS TO THE ACCIDENT REPORTED ENCOUNTERING TURBULENCE AND DOWNDRAFTS IN THE AREA. A GROUND WITNESS REPORTED CALM WIND CONDITIONS.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 5,000 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,208 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 1, 1992; 72 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,500 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-290-D2 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 190° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 40 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 3,000 ft; clear
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 45°F (7°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:52 pm from PRC, 16 miles away
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.