Cessna 182L accident near Tucson Estates, Arizona, July 27, 2025
On July 27, 2025 at about 1:50 am local time, a 1968 Cessna 182L, registered N42725, was destroyed in an accident during takeoff near Tucson Estates, Arizona (Ryan Field Airport). 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
The pilot’s inability to stop the airplane on the runway during a rejected takeoff for undetermined reasons, which resulted in the airplane’s impact with a ditch.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 27, 2025 · about 1:50 am local time
- Place
- Tucson Estates, Arizona · Ryan Field Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 182L, built 1968 · all 182Ls on the register
- Registration
- N42725 · registry record · serial 18259165
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot stated that he performed a preflight inspection and engine run and noted no defects with the airplane’s brakes or flight instruments. When the airplane was about halfway down the runway during the takeoff roll, the pilot saw that the airspeed indicator was not functioning and decided to abort the takeoff. The pilot moved the throttle to idle and applied the brakes, but the airplane did not slow as expected, and the airplane continued to roll to the end of the runway. Despite maximum braking efforts, the airplane overran the end of the runway and impacted a drainage culvert. The pilot and passengers exited the airplane before it was destroyed by a postcrash fire that originated from the engine area. Though the pilot reported malfunctions of the airspeed indicator and brakes, the postcrash fire destroyed most of the airplane, and precluded an examination of these systems. As a result, the reasons for the reported failure of the airspeed indicator and brakes could not be determined based on the available evidence.
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
What happened, in order
- Flight instrument malf/fail during takeoff defining event
- Runway excursion during takeoff (rejected takeoff)
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Navigation system › Pitot/static system › Unknown/Not determined
- Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Landing gear brakes system › Unknown/Not determined
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Terrain › Sloped/uneven terrain › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Medical certificate: BasicMed
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Passenger
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Passenger
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,555 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 17, 2025; 41.9 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,800 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470-R (piston); 199 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 33, 4,010 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 330° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 102°F (39°C), dew point 25°F (-4°C)
- Altimeter: 29.86 inHg
- Observation at 5:45 pm from KRYN, 1 miles away
Weather report (METAR): METAR KRYN 270045Z 33009KT 10SM CLR 39/M04 A2986=
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
Photographs from the investigation 3 pictures from the NTSB's docket, as the NTSB released them
Photograph 1 – The airplane viewed from the left.
Photograph 2 – The airplane viewed from forward.
Photograph 3 – The pitot tube.The NTSB's photographs with the NTSB's captions, at screen size. Open a picture to see it full size or to report one that should not be shown.
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
2 documents, released by the NTSB on November 20, 2025. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 10 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Investigation Photographs | PDF, 4 pages · our copy | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.