Cessna 182-F accident near Ashland, Oregon, February 5, 1985
On February 5, 1985 at about 3:32 pm local time, a Cessna 182-F, registered N3559Y, was destroyed in an accident near Ashland, Oregon. It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 4 people were killed. 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
- February 5, 1985 · about 3:32 pm local time
- Place
- Ashland, Oregon · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 4 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 182-F · all 182-Fs on the register
- Registration
- N3559Y · no longer on the register · serial 18254459
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT WAS BRIEFED REGARDING WEATHER AND EXPECTED FLT CONDITIONS BTW MEDFORD AND REDDING. THE BRIEFING INCLUDED A FORECAST FOR IMPROVING CONDITIONS APPROACHING THE DESTINATION AS WELL AS POSSIBLE ICING EN ROUTE. THE ACFT DEPARTED MEDFORD CARRYING APRX 970 LBS (OCCUPANTS/CARGO) AND 4.5 HRS OF FUEL. (THE ACFT USES APRX 15 GHP.) THE ACFT USEFUL LOAD WEIGHT WAS APRX 1111 POUNDS. DURING THE CLIMB IN INSTRUMENT CONDITIONS THE PILOT REPORTED LOSING ALTITUDE AND POWER AND EXECUTED A COURSE REVERSAL TO RETURN TO MEDFORD. THE ACFT IMPACTED IN A STEEP, NOSE LOW ATTITUDE. THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE OF MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION WITH EITHER THE ENGINE OR AIRFRAME.
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: 1,939 hours in all; 67 in the last 90 days; 43 in the last 30 days; 1,852 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,780 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 5, 1984; 333 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,800 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470-R (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MFR Medford OR at 3:05 pm
- Destination: RDD Redding CA
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 320° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 3,800 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 30°F (-1°C), dew point 27°F (-3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:53 pm from MFR, 19 miles away
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.
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.