- Date
- September 24, 1993, 08:00 local (15:00 UTC)
- Place
- Phoenix, AZ
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N98909Cessna 172P
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 27, 1994
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19930924036379A
- Case key
- 28489
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 pilot's misjudging the landing flare. A physical problem may have contributed.
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 pilot reported that as he neared the airport he began to feel ill. While overflying the airport he blacked out for a couple of minutes. After his vision returned he landed, bounced, and landed hard. The operator reported that subsequent medical tests on the pilot could not determine the reason for the pilot's loss of consciousness.
Factual narrative
On September 24, 1993, at 0800 hours mountain standard time, a Cessna 172P, N98909, sustained a hard landing on runway 26L at Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport, Phoenix, Arizona. The pilot was completing a local visual flight rules personal flight. The airplane, operated by Sawyer Aviation, Phoenix, Arizona, sustained substantial damage. The certificated private pilot, the sole occupant, was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. The flight originated at Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport at an undetermined time; the flight departed Chandler Municipal Airport, Chandler, Arizona, at 0745 hours.
The pilot submitted the required Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1/2. He stated in the report that after departing Sky Harbor Airport he flew to Chandler Airport to practice touch and go takeoffs and landings. The last landing at Chandler was "rough" and he elected to return to Sky Harbor Airport.
After entering the Class B airspace the pilot began to feel ill and momentarily lost consciousness. After regaining consciousness the pilot was able to land the airplane, but sustained a hard landing in the process.
The operator reported that subsequent medical tests on the pilot could not determine the reason for the pilot's loss of consciousness.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N98909
- Reported as
- Cessna 172P
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 17276377
- Airframe hours
- 5,176
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-D2J, 160 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Sawyer Aviation
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · September 11, 1993 · 38 hours before
- Departed
- P10 · Chandler, AZ
- Airport
- PHX · Phoenix Sky Harbor, runway 26L, 11,000 × 150 ft, concrete
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
- 28
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 94 total · 9 in this make and model · 42 as pilot in command · 9 in the last 90 days · 9 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 30 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 88 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N98909 · 2
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.