Cessna 172 N738EL

Summary

On 22 September 1991 at about 19:25 local time, a Cessna 172 registered N738EL, operated by North-Aire, Inc., was involved in an accident near Cottonwood, Arizona, United States. One person was on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

22 September 1991 at 19:25

Classification

Accident

Location

Cottonwood, Arizona, United States

Nearest airport

Cottonwood (P52)

Coordinates

34.7494, -112.0100

Aircraft

Cessna 172

Registration

N738EL

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

North-Aire, Inc.

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Prescott → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

LAX91LA404

Nobody was injured.

THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND'S DELAY IN RAISING THE FLAPS AND THE SUBSEQUENT INADVERTENT STALL/MUSH.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE RECENTLY CERTIFICATED PRIVATE PILOT REPORTED THAT SHE WAS PRACTICING TOUCH & GO T.O.'S AND LANDINGS. ON THE THIRD T.O. WITH THE FLAPS EXTENDED 40 DEGREES, THEN SHE PLACED THE FLAP LEVER TO 10 DEGREES. THE AIRPLANE THEN PREMATURELY LIFTED OFF, BUT THE AIRSPEED WAS NOT ACCELERATING. THE PILOT REALIZED THE FLAPS WERE STILL FULLY EXTENDED AND THE AIRPLANE WAS ONLY ABOUT 2-FT OFF THE GROUND AND BEYOND THE DEPARTURE END OF THE RUNWAY. THE PILOT THEN ELECTED TO EXECUTE AN OFF-AIRPORT LANDING IN THE BRUSH COVERED DESERT. RESCUE PERSONNEL REPORTED THAT WHEN THEY ARRIVED AT THE ACCIDENT SITE THE FLAPS WERE RETRACTED. AN FAA INSPECTOR REPORTED THE FLAPS WERE FULLY EXTENDED AND THAT THE FLAP LEVER WAS IN THE FULLY EXTENDED POSITION WHEN HE ARRIVED AT THE ACCIDENT SITE AFTER THE RESCUE PERSONNEL LEFT. HE STATED THAT THE FLAPS OPERATED NORMALLY.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.