Aviation Crash Map

Cessna 172M N61552

28 July 1989 · Marana, Arizona, United States · No injuries

Summary

On 28 July 1989 at about 16:27 local time, a Cessna 172M registered N61552, operated by Double Eagle Aviation, Inc., was involved in an accident near Marana, Arizona, United States. 2 people were 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.

The record

Date
at 16:27
Classification
Accident
Location
Marana, Arizona, United States
Coordinates
32.4506, -111.2893
Aircraft
Cessna 172M
Registration
N61552
Category
Airplane
Engines
1
Operator
Double Eagle Aviation, Inc.
Operating rule
Part 91: General Aviation
Purpose of flight
Instructional
Phase of flight
Not recorded
Route
Tucson → Unknown
Aircraft damage
Substantial
Weather
VMC
Light
Day
NTSB number
LAX89LA256

People

Nobody was injured.

On board Died Serious Minor Uninjured
2 0 0 0 2

Probable cause

INADEQUATE PREFLIGHT BY THE STUDENT PILOT, INADEQUATE SUPERVISION BY THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR (CFI), AND FUEL EXHAUSTION DUE TO LACK OF FUEL. RELATED FACTORS WERE: INOPERATIVE LEFT FUEL QUANTITY GAGE, THE CFI'S DECISION TO MAKE THE FLIGHT WITH A KNOWN DEFICIENCY IN THE FUEL GAGE, AND OBSTRUCTIONS (TREE LIKE CACTUS) IN THE EMERGENCY LANDING AREA.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

BEFORE TAKING OFF ON A FLT FOR A BIENNIAL FLT REVIEW, THE PVT PLT PREFLIGHTED THE ACFT & THE INSTRUCTOR (CFI) TOOK HIS WORD THAT ABOUT 20 GAL OF FUEL WAS ON BOARD. THE OPERATOR RPRTD THE CFI WAS AWARE THAT THE LEFT FUEL GAGE WAS INOP. NO DIP STICK WAS USED TO MEASURE THE QUANTITY OF FUEL BEFORE TAKEOFF. AFTER ABOUT 35 MIN OF FLT, THE ENG LOST POWER AS THE STUDENT WAS MAKING A GO-AROUND FROM A SIMULATED FORCED LNDG, BUT FULL POWER RESUMED WHEN THE NOSE WAS LOWERED. ABOUT 1 TO 2 MINS LATER, THE ENG LOST POWER AGAIN, BUT WOULD NOT RESTART. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE ACFT WAS DAMAGED WHEN IT HIT A SAGUARO (TREE LIKE) CACTUS DRG AN EMERGENCY LANDING. NO FUEL WAS FOUND IN THE TANKS AFTER THE ACDNT.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.

Other Cessna 172 accidents

Date Aircraft Location Operator Outcome Died
17 Mar 1989 Cessna 172M
N80542
Pascagoula, Mississippi, United States - Fatal 2
21 Mar 1989 Cessna 172H
N1480F
Melbourne, Florida, United States - Serious injuries -
2 Jan 1989 Cessna 172
N4440L
Cheyenne, Wyoming, United States
no coordinates
- No injuries -
21 Nov 1989 Cessna 172
N63496
Bremerton, Washington, United States Flight Tech, Inc Minor injuries -
17 Aug 1989 Cessna 172P
N98584
Superior, Wisconsin, United States - Serious injuries -
4 Jan 1989 Cessna 172
N96319
Longmont, Colorado, United States Denver Air Center No injuries -

All 12,209 records for this type

Other accidents in this area

Date Aircraft Location Operator Outcome Died
28 Sep 1989 Cessna 180
N519TW
Flagstaff, Arizona, United States George Thomas No injuries -
21 Sep 1989 Cessna 152
N714VX
Chandler, Arizona, United States
no coordinates
Button Aviation, Inc. No injuries -
27 Sep 1989 Robinson R22
N9078U
Scottsdale, Arizona, United States Arizona Wing and Rotor No injuries -
8 Oct 1989 Roger Nelson AERONICA/T
N101E
Sierra Vista, Arizona, United States - No injuries -
11 Oct 1989 Hiller UH-12E
N689SB
Yuma, Arizona, United States West Farm Air Inc. Serious injuries -
20 Oct 1989 Rand Engineering KR-II
N120TM
Eloy, Arizona, United States
no coordinates
- Fatal 1

All 170,864 records in United States