- Date
- May 20, 1992, 17:45 local (May 21, 1992, 00:45 UTC)
- Place
- Cottonwood, AZ
- Injuries
- 2 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N191PCessna 150
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 11, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19920520015479A
- Case key
- 27430
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
A failure of the student pilot to conduct an adequate pre-flight inspection to remove contaminated fuel; a failure to maintain adequate airspeed to prevent an inadvertent stall. Contributing to the accident was an inadequate annual inspection of the fuel system to detect a leaking fuel cap, and inadequate supervision of the flight by the pilot-incommand.
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
Prior to the accident flight, the non-certificated student pilot fueled the airplane from a 5-gallon container with automotive fuel. He then invited a certificated pilot to accompany him on a local area flight. Witnesses observed the airplane depart and appeared to climb slowly at a slow airspeed. During a left turn after departure, other witness heard the engine running rough, sputtering, and then quit running. The airplane then banked to the right and descended in a near vertical attitude, striking a cedar tree and mobile home. The airplane was consumed by a post crash fire. Examination of the left fuel tank that was not damaged by fire, revealed the presence of over a quart of water. The interior filler neck and fuel cap had evidence of rust.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N191P
- Reported as
- Cessna 150
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 17704
- Engine
- Continental O-200-A, 100 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Fire
- On-Ground
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Manion, Bernard
- Registered owner
- Crozier, Rory
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · April 13, 1992 · 26 hours before
- Departed
- P52
- Destination
- P52
- Airport
- P52 · Cottonwood, runway 14, 4,250 × 75 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
- 72
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Right
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 1,900 total
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 100° at 11 knots
- Visibility
- 20 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 4,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 54 °F, dew point 46 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- PRC, 20 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.