Cessna 172D accident near Tsaile, Arizona, April 24, 1995
On April 24, 1995 at about 4:55 pm local time, a Cessna 172D, registered N2587Y, was destroyed in an accident near Tsaile, Arizona. It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 4 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN TERRAIN CLEARANCE. FACTORS WERE THE PILOT'S LACK OF MOUNTAIN FLYING EXPERIENCE AND THE RISING TERRAIN.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 24, 1995 · about 4:55 pm local time
- Place
- Tsaile, Arizona · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 4 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172D · all 172Ds on the register
- Registration
- N2587Y · no longer on the register · serial 17259987
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE AIRPLANE DEPARTED PAGE MUNICIPAL AIRPORT, PAGE, ARIZONA, APPROXIMATELY 0845 FOR ADDISON, TEXAS, WITH PLANNED FUEL STOPS AT SANTA FE, NEW MEXICO AND PLAINVIEW, TEXAS. A FLIGHT PLAN WAS NOT FILED AND NO WEATHER BRIEFING RECEIVED. THE AIRCRAFT WRECKAGE WAS LOCATED BY A NAVAJO SHEPHERD SEVEN NM EAST NORTHEAST OF TSAILE, ARIZONA ON THE WESTERN SLOPE OF THE CHUSKA MOUNTAINS NEAR THE SUMMIT AT AN ELEVATION OF APPROXIMATELY 9,000 FEET. IT WAS ESTABLISHED THAT AT THE ALTITUDE DESCRIBED, THE AIRCRAFT WAS WITHIN THE DESIGNED PERFORMANCE LIMIT. AN ESTIMATE OF THE WEIGHT OF THE AIRPLANE AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT WAS 2,316 POUNDS. THE MAXIMUM ALLOWABLE GROSS WEIGHT OF THE AIRPLANE IS 2,300 POUNDS. EXAMINATION OF THE AIRPLANE DID NOT DISCLOSE ANY MECHANICAL ANOMALIES. THE FLIGHT CONTROL CABLES WERE VERIFIED FOR THEIR CONTINUITY FROM THE CONTROL SURFACES THROUGH THE CABIN AREA. THE ENGINE, AFTER REPLACING DAMAGED PARTS, RAN NORMALLY. THE PILOT HAD NO KNOWN MOUNTAIN FLYING EXPERIENCE, AND HIS LAST KNOWN BIENNIAL FLIGHT REVIEW WAS ON OCTOBER 1, 1991.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 1,745 hours in all; 1,744 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (expired)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,619 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 10, 1994; 32 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-300-D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PGA Page AZ at 3:45 pm
- Destination: ADS Addison TX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 250° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:50 pm from FMN, 49 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.