Cessna 172 accident near Prescott, Arizona, April 23, 2019
On April 23, 2019 at about 4:30 pm local time, a 1974 Cessna 172, registered N1897V, was substantially damaged in an accident during taxi (from runway) near Prescott, Arizona (Ernest A Love Field). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The student pilot's failure to maintain clearance from a fence post during taxi operations.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 23, 2019 · about 4:30 pm local time
- Place
- Prescott, Arizona · Ernest A Love Field · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172 M, built 1974 · all 172s on the register
- Registration
- N1897V · registry record · serial 17263785
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The student pilot reported that, while taxiing the airplane to a parking spot, the right wing impacted a fence post. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing. The student reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
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
What happened, in order
- Ground collision during taxi (from runway) defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during taxi (from runway)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Psychological › Attention/monitoring › Monitoring environment › Student/instructed pilot
- cause Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Fence/fence post › Effect on operation
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 35 hours in all; 35 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 12,550 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 3, 2018
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 E2D (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Pmc Aviation
The flight
- Departed from: CHD Chandler AZ at 3:15 pm
- Destination: PRC Prescott AZ
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 360° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 12,000 ft
- Temperature: 59°F (15°C), dew point 34°F (1°C)
- Altimeter: 30.05 inHg
- Observation at 3:53 pm from KPRC
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
3 documents, released by the NTSB on May 13, 2019. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Record of Conversation | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Accident Photo | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
Other NTSB records under N1897V the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.