Cessna 172I N8390L

Summary

On 17 November 2024 at about 16:30 local time, a Cessna 172I registered N8390L, operated by Tom Bliss, was involved in an accident near Cordes Lakes, Arizona, United States. 2 people were on board and one had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. No probable cause has been published yet; this accident is still under investigation.

Date

17 November 2024 at 16:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Cordes Lakes, Arizona, United States

Coordinates

34.3014, -112.0672

Aircraft

Cessna 172I

Registration

N8390L

Category

Airplane

Year built

1968

Engines

1

Operator

Tom Bliss

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Phoenix → Flagstaff

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

WPR25LA040

1 person had minor injuries.

The NTSB has not published a probable cause for this record. The investigation is still open; a final report usually follows one to two years after the accident.

Nothing about the cause is stated here that is not in the source record.

Read the full NTSB narrative

On November 17, 2024, about 0930 mountain standard time, a Cessna 172I, N8390L, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Cortes Lakes, Arizona. The pilot sustained minor injuries, and the passenger was not injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. The pilot reported that while in cruise flight, he thought he heard the engine misfire and verified the engine instruments showed normal indications along with throttle and mixture control positions. The engine misfired again along with a decrease in RPM and performance. The pilot advanced the throttle and mixture controls and turned on carburetor heat, which corrected the loss of RPM. While attempting to return to the airport, the engine began to lose power a second time, and the pilot was unable to maintain altitude. He cycled the engine controls, switched the fuel tanks from “both” to all positions and back to “both,” and completed the emergency checklist, however, was unable to restore engine power. The pilot stated that he initiated a forced landing to a nearby clearing, and while maneuvering the airplane to the clearing, he was flying on the edge of a stall until just before it impacted the ground. The airplane landed hard on uneven desert terrain and sustained substantial damage to the fuselage and both wings. The airplane was recovered to a secure location for further examination.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.