Cessna P210N accident near Tontitown, Arkansas, November 25, 1985
On November 25, 1985 at about 1:15 am local time, a Cessna P210N, registered N86JB, was destroyed in an accident near Tontitown, Arkansas. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
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
- November 25, 1985 · about 1:15 am local time
- Place
- Tontitown, Arkansas
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Cessna P210N · all P210Ns on the register
- Registration
- N86JB · no longer on the register · serial P210000430
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AFTER COMPLETING TWO ERRATIC 360 DEG TURNS IN A HOLDING PATTERN WEST OF THE RAZORBACK VORTAC STATION, THE PLT WAS INSTRUCTED TO PROCEED VIA THE 218 DEG RADIAL OF THE RAZORBACK VORTAC UNTIL REACHING THE ELMIE INTERSECTION AND TO HOLD. A COUPLE OF MINUTES LATER THE PLT RPTD ENTERING A HOLD AT THE ELMIE INTERSECTION AND WAS CLEARED AFTER REACHING 4000 FT FOR THE LOCALIZER 16 APCH. RADAR TRACK DATA SHOWED THE ACFT MADE A TURN TO THE EAST AFTER ENTERING THE HOLDING PATTERN IN ORDER TO INTERCEPT THE LOCALIZER. THE ACFT THEN DISAPPEARED FROM RADAR AND NO FURTHER COMMUNICATIONS WERE RECEIVED. THE ACFT IMPACTED TERRAIN ON AN EASTERLY HEADING, 1 MILE NORTH OF TONTITOWN, AR, IN AN OPEN FLD. NO PRE-IMPACT MECHAINCAL FAILURE WAS DISCOVERED. ILLEGAL DRUGS WERE FOUND IN THE WRECKAGE IN AN OPEN CONTAINER. NO AUTOPSY WAS PERFORMED AND TOXICOLOGICAL SAMPLES WERE INSUFFICIENT FOR TESTING.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 350 hours in all; 115 in this make and model; 259 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,989 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 6, 1985
- Maximum gross weight: 4,000 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-520-P2B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ASE Aspen CO at 9:54 pm
- Destination: FYV Fayetteville AR
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Visibility: 2 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 600 ft; not recorded at 600 ft
- Temperature: 54°F (12°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:32 am from FYV, 10 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.