Cessna 182A accident near Davis City, Iowa, July 7, 1986
On July 7, 1986 at about 8:58 pm local time, a Cessna 182A, registered N4773D, was substantially damaged in an accident near Davis City, Iowa. 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 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 7, 1986 · about 8:58 pm local time
- Place
- Davis City, Iowa · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 182A · all 182As on the register
- Registration
- N4773D · no longer on the register · serial 34873
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
STATEMENTS FROM FAA FLIGHT SERVICE STATION PERSONNEL INDICATE THAT THE PILOT RECEIVED A WEATHER BRIEFING PRIOR TO DEPARTURE BUT THAT A FLIGHT PLAN WAS NOT FILED FOR THE 600 MILE TRIP. RECORDS SHOW THAT THE FLT LASTED 05:28 HOURS BEFORE THE ENGINE SPUTTERED AND QUIT FOUR MILES SHORT OF ITS DESTINATION AIRPORT. ENDURANCE CALCULATIONS BASED ON 11 G.P.H. AND A 600 NM DISTANCE, CORRECTING FOR NON STANDARD TEMPERATURE AND PRESSURE REVEAL A USABLE FUEL BURN TIME OF 5 HOURS AND 25 MINUTES.
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: 350 hours in all; 40 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded, December 31, 1985
- Maximum gross weight: 2,650 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470-L (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: RAP Rapid City SD at 3:30 pm
- Destination: 30I Lamoni IA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 230° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 2,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:46 pm from 301, 4 miles away
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.