Cessna 182A accident near Ashton, Idaho, October 31, 1992
On October 31, 1992 at about 11:15 pm local time, a Cessna 182A, registered N4020D, was substantially damaged in an accident near Ashton, Idaho. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A POWER LOSS FOR UNDETERMINED REASONS. A FACTOR CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE SOFT TERRAIN.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 31, 1992 · about 11:15 pm local time · cases in 1992
- Place
- Ashton, Idaho · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 182A · all 182As on the register
- Registration
- N4020D · registry record · serial 34720
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT REPORTED THAT APPROXIMATELY 35 MINUTES INTO THE FLIGHT AND WHILE ESTABLISHED IN CRUISE AT APPROXIMATELY 1500 FEET AGL ENROUTE FROM WEST YELLOWSTONE, MONTANA, TO ST. ANTHONY, IDAHO, THE ENGINE ABRUPTLY STOPPED OPERATING. ATTEMPTS TO RESTART WERE UNSUCCESSFUL AND THE PILOT EXECUTED A FORCED LANDING IN AN SOFT AGRICULTURAL FIELD. DURING THE LANDING ROLL THE AIRCRAFT NOSED OVER. POST CRASH EXAMINATION REVEALED EVIDENCE OF FUEL IN BOTH FUEL TANKS. THE ENGINE AND FUEL SYSTEM WERE EXAMINED AND NO MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION COULD BE FOUND.
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: 790 hours in all; 640 in this make and model; 53 in the last 90 days; 8 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 1, 1992
- Maximum gross weight: 2,650 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470-L (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: U53 W. Yellowstone MT at 10:40 pm
- Destination: U12 St. Anthony ID
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 260° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 40 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 2,000 ft
- Temperature: 46°F (8°C), dew point 30°F (-1°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:47 pm from IDA, 44 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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.
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N4020D on the register today · the tail number may have moved to another aircraft since
- Cessna 182 Skylane 11,833 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Cessna 72,677 aircraft on the register
- Engine: Continental O-470-L 19 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Henrys Lake Airport · departed from
- Stanford Field · bound for
- Accidents and incidents in Idaho 1,535 since 1982 · 287 in the last ten years
- Idaho 4,201 aircraft registered
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/SEA93LA014.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.