- Date
- September 22, 2001, 08:30 local (15:30 UTC)
- Place
- Skull Valley, AZ
- Injuries
- 1 minor, 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N5792ACessna 172
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report April 28, 2004
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20010922024769A
- Case key
- 53154
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
the loss of engine power during takeoff for undetermined reasons. A contributing factor was the lack of suitable terrain for the ensuing emergency landing.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The airplane lost power shortly after takeoff from a dirt airstrip. The private pilot elected to land the airplane in a small field but the right wing clipped a tree during the emergency approach. Upon touchdown, the nose wheel impacted a rock, separated, and the airplane nosed over. The reason for the loss of engine power was not determined.
Factual narrative
On September 22, 2001, at 0830 mountain standard time, a Cessna 172 single engine airplane, N5792A, impacted trees and terrain during a forced landing following a loss of engine power on takeoff from a private airstrip at Skull Valley, Arizona. The airplane was registered to a private individual, and was operated by the pilot under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91 as a personal flight. The private pilot sustained minor injuries, and the two passengers had no injuries. The airplane was substantially damaged. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and a flight plan had not been filed. The local flight originated from the private airstrip at 0730.
According to the pilot's written statement, he departed runway 2, which is a dirt runway, with a 7-knot headwind. Shortly after clearing the runway, "the engine began to lose rpm." The pilot elected to land the airplane in a small clearing north of the runway. The right wing impacted a small tree during the emergency approach, and the airplane impacted the ground with the right main landing gear and the nose landing gear. After all three landing gear made ground contact, the nose wheel struck a stone and separated at the nose strut. The airplane nosed over, coming to rest inverted.
The private dirt airstrip (Quarter Circle J) is 2,900 feet in length and is situated at an elevation of 4,366 feet msl. The temperature was estimated to be in the low 70's, and the wind was estimated by the pilot from 360 degrees at 7 knots. According to the pilot, he had 30 gallons of fuel remaining at the time of departure.
The reason for the loss of engine power was not determined.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N5792A
- Reported as
- Cessna 172
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 28392
- Airframe hours
- 3,390.5
- Engine
- Continental O-300-C, 145 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Alan W. Newberry, doing business as Paradise Flyers
- Registered owner
- Don M. Sherrard
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · April 9, 2001 · 54.7 hours before
- Departed
- 28E · Skull Valley, AZ
- Destination
- 28E · Skull Valley, AZ
- Airport
- 28E · Quarter Circle C Ranch, runway 2, 2,900 × 50 ft, dirt
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 44
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Last flight review
- July 9, 2000
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 181 total · 158 in this make and model · 146 as pilot in command · 16 in the last 90 days · 6 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 360° at 7 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 70 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.