Cessna R182 accident near Monticello, Arkansas, May 16, 1985
On May 16, 1985 at about 10:30 pm local time, a Cessna R182, registered N737LE, was substantially damaged in an accident near Monticello, Arkansas (Monticello Muni airport). It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. 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
- May 16, 1985 · about 10:30 pm local time
- Place
- Monticello, Arkansas · Monticello Muni · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna R182 · all R182s on the register
- Registration
- N737LE · no longer on the register · serial R18200844
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
PLT SELECTED GRASSY AREA ON ARPT FOR LANDING. THE GRASSY AREA WAS MORE CLOSELY ALIGNED WITH THE SURFACE WINDS THAN THE AVAILABLE RUNWAYS. THE GRASSY AREA HAS A UTILITY LINE ACROSS THE APCH END AND A DITCH ON THE DEPARTURE END. THE LANDING WAS LONG AND HOT AND THE ACFT BALLOONED DURING TOUCHDOWN. THE PLT SAID HE SELECTED FLAPS DURING THE TOUCHDOWN SEQUENCE AND CONTINUED THE LANDING. THE PLT SAID THE BRAKES WERE NOT EFFECTIVE ON THE ROUGH, GRASSY SURFACE. WHEN THE PLT RECOGNIZED ACFT WOULD NOT STOP ON THE LANDING AREA HE SELECTED MORE FLAPS BUT ACFT COLLIDED WITH THE DITCH. SOMETIME AFTER THE ACCIDENT THE PLT DISCOVERED THAT THE FLAPS HAD NOT EXTENDED DURING THE LANDING ROLL. THE FLAPS WOULD NOT EXTEND WHEN ZERO TO 20' DOWN WAS SELECTED BUT DID WORK AT HIGHER SETTINGS.
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: 1,136 hours in all; 116 in this make and model; 24 in the last 90 days; 1,092 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,082 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 22, 1985
- Maximum gross weight: 3,100 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-540-L3C5D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 2M8 Millington TN at 4:15 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 300° at 15 knots, gusting 20
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
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.