Cessna 180G accident near Harrison, Arkansas, July 18, 1985
On July 18, 1985 at about 7:05 pm local time, a Cessna 180G, registered N4734U, was substantially damaged in an accident near Harrison, Arkansas (Boone County airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 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 18, 1985 · about 7:05 pm local time
- Place
- Harrison, Arkansas · Boone County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 180G · all 180Gs on the register
- Registration
- N4734U · no longer on the register · serial 18051434
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT STATED THAT DURING A WHEEL LANDING, THE ACFT BOUNCED, BUT NOT HARD. HE REPORTED THAT HE APPLIED SUFFICIENT POWER TO RECOVER & MADE A SMOOTH, 3-POINT TOUCHDOWN, THEN THE ACFT BEGAN A GRADUAL SKIDDING TURN TO THE RIGHT. THE PLT CORRECTED WITH LEFT RUDDER, BUT IT HAD NO EFFECT. HE SAID THAT HE THEN APPLIED HARD LEFT RUDDER & BRAKE; HOWEVER, THE ACFT CONTINUED THE RIGHT SWERVE & THE LEFT MAIN GEAR COLLAPSED. AN EXAM OF THE ACFT REVEALED THE LEFT TAILWHEEL STEERING CABLE HAD COME OFF OF A PULLEY & HAD JAMMED BETWEEN THE PULLEY & A BRACKET. THERE WAS EVIDENCE THAT THE CABLE MAY HAVE BEEN LOOSE OR OUT-OF-RIG. HOWEVER, THE REASON FOR THE CABLE TO COME OFF OF THE PULLEY WAS NOT VERIFIED.
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: 1,435 hours in all; 34 in this make and model; 40 in the last 90 days; 1,355 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 7,833 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 1, 1985; 44 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,800 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470-R (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: EOS Neosho MO at 6:15 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 36, 6,195 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 060° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 13 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 4,500 ft
- Temperature: 90°F (32°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:01 pm from HRO
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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 N4734U 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.