Cessna 182P accident near Phoenix, Arizona, May 1, 1994
On May 1, 1994 at about 9:30 pm local time, a Cessna 182P, registered N1454S, was substantially damaged in an accident near Phoenix, Arizona (Deer Valley airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries; 2 others were unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's failure to ensure that the magneto switch was in the off position prior to rotating the propeller by hand.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 1, 1994 · about 9:30 pm local time
- Place
- Phoenix, Arizona · Deer Valley · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 2 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 182P · all 182Ps on the register
- Registration
- N1454S · registry record · serial 18265002
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot completed the preflight inspection of the aircraft and loaded his passengers on board. The aircraft had been idle for about a month. On the first start attempt, the engine turned over very slowly and the pilot discontinued the start cycle. The pilot got out of the aircraft to pull the propeller through several revolutions and, as he did so, the engine suddenly started and went to a high power setting. The pilot said he tried to get back into the cockpit, but he had trouble with the door latch. The pilot next attempted to restrain the aircraft by holding the tail, but he was knocked to the ground in the effort. The aircraft ran into a hangar, bending a wing spar. The pilot said that on reflection he believes that he forgot to turn off the magnetos completely before trying to turn the propeller through the revolutions.
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: 425 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 2,950 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: DVT at 9:30 pm
- Destination: TUS Tuscon AZ
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number LAX94LA209.