Cessna 182F accident near Chandler, Arizona, March 19, 1993
On March 19, 1993 at about 2:15 am local time, a Cessna 182F, registered N3211U, was substantially damaged in an accident near Chandler, Arizona (Chandler Muni airport). It was a personal 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 PILOT'S INADEQUATE WEATHER EVALUATION RESULTING IN AN INADVERTENT ENCOUNTER WITH GUSTY WIND CONDITIONS WHILE TAXIING.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 19, 1993 · about 2:15 am local time
- Place
- Chandler, Arizona · Chandler Muni · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 182F · all 182Fs on the register
- Registration
- N3211U · registry record · serial 18254611
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT SAID HE INTENDED TO PERFORM SOME NIGHT PRACTICE TAKEOFFS AND LANDING AT THE AIRPORT. HE SAID THAT THE WEATHER CONDITIONS THROUGHOUT THE DAY HAD BEEN NORMAL AND THE WINDS AT THE AIRPORT WHEN HE ARRIVED WERE CALM. DURING THE DOWNWIND AND BASE LEGS OF THE FIRST TRAFFIC PATTERN THE PILOT SAID THAT HE OBSERVED 'DUST BEING KICKED UP TO THE NORTH AND EAST OF THE AIRPORT.' HE REPORTED THAT THE FIRST SIGN OF TURBULENCE BEGAN ON FINAL, AND DURING THE LANDING ROLL OUT HE BECAME AWARE OF GUSTY SURFACE WINDS AND DECIDED TO TERMINATE THE FLIGHT. THE PILOT SAID THAT AFTER LANDING AND WHILE TAXIING TO HIS PARKING SPOT, A SUDDEN AND VERY STRONG GUST OF WIND BLEW THE AIRCRAFT OVER ONTO ITS BACK. GROUND WITNESSES AT THE AIRPORT REPORTED OBSERVING ISOLATED THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY IN THE GENERAL AREA AND THAT AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT A STRONG GUST OF WIND SWEPT OVER THE AIRPORT.
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: 989 hours in all; 625 in this make and model; 13 in the last 90 days; 6 in the last 30 days; 953 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 25, 1992
- Maximum gross weight: 2,900 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470L (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: P10 at 2:10 am
- Destination: P10
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 22, 4,700 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, bright
- Wind: from 320° at 30 knots, gusting 70
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: scat
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.