# NTSB DEN88FA036: Cessna A152, N234ZN, Benson, AZ, December 8, 1987

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Fatal · Field investigation · Final report
- Date: December 8, 1987, 13:35 local (20:35 UTC)
- Place: Benson, AZ
- Coordinates: 32.189918, -110.380867 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=32.1899&lon=-110.3809&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Unknown](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/990) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: Fatal
- Injuries: 1 fatal
- Status: Completed, report March 31, 1989
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 17344
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=DEN88FA036
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/17344/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN88FA036

## Sequence of events

In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf).

- In flight collision with terrain/water, unknown
  - in-flight planning/decision - improper, pilot in command (cause)
  - proper altitude - not maintained, pilot in command (cause)
  - diverted attention, pilot in command (contributing factor)
  - terrain condition - high vegetation (contributing factor)
  - terrain condition - loose gravel/sandy

## Analysis

ABT 20 MIN AFTER TKOF, THE ACFT CRASHED IN VMC CONDS, APRX 26 MI ALONG THE ROUTE FM TUCSON TO LAS CRUCES. INITIAL IMPACTOCCURRED WITH THE L WING HITTING THE TOP OF A YUCCA PLANT AS THE ACFT WAS IN A SLGT NOSE DOWN, L WING LOW ATTITUDE. JUSTBYD THIS POINT, THE ACFT CONTACTED THE GND & SKIDDED ABT 90' BFR HITTING A SCRUB TREE & COMING TO REST WITH EXTSV DMG. THE THROTTLE WAS FND AT IDLE, MIXTURE AT IDLE-CUTOFF, CARB HEAT WAS OFF & THE FLAPS WERE EXTDD 10 DEG. NO PREIMPACT MECHPRBLM WAS FND. THE ENG RAN NORMALLY DRG AN OPNL CHECK. NO WITNESSES WERE FND. A CAMERA WAS FND WITH FILM EXPOSED ON A PREV FLT. AFTER DVLPMNT, IT HAD IN-FLT PHOTOS OF A TRUCK & A TRAIN TAKEN NR GND LVL. THE TRAIN WAS IDENTIFIED. ITS CREW RECALLED SEEING AN ACFT MAKING LOW PASSES AT THE TRAIN EARLIER THAT DAY (COINCIDING WITH THE PLT'S PREV FLT). PEOPLE, WHO KNEW THE PLT, SAID HE SPOKE OF 'DIVE BOMBING' SEMI-TRUCKS & TRAINS, FLYING UNDER PHONE LINES, LNDG AFTER INTENTIONALFUEL EXHAUSTION & MAKING A LNDG IN THE DESERT. ACDNT SITE WAS NR A RAILROAD, INTERSTATE HIWAY & MOVIE SET (OLD TUCSON).

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N234ZN](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N234ZN-1989-03-14), registration cancelled 1989-03-14, S/N A1520988 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA A152
- Registry model: [Cessna A152](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-a152) (registry code 2071836) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: A1520988
- Airframe hours: 2361
- Engines: LYCOMING O-235-L2C 110 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Destroyed
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Registered owner: Southwest Aviation, Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Aerobatic
- Last inspection: Annual, December 4, 1987, 116 hours before
- Departed: THS, TUCSON, AZ
- Destination: LCR, LAS CRUCES, NM

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 28; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 3, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: left; toxicology performed; flight hours: 113 total, 75 in this make and model, 63 as pilot in command, 62 in the last 90 days, 31 in the last 30 days, 7 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 70° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 40 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 64 °F, dew point 37 °F
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observed at: TUS, 26 nm away

## FAA reports on this event (1)

The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs).

- [Accident 19871208030009A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19871208030009A), Dec 8, 1987: Cessna A152, Benson, AZ, Destroyed, 1 fatal. Crashed in desert. No mechanical and no witnesses. Was known to buzz trains,fly under powerlines and other reports.

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

---
OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.