Cessna 172 accident near Phoenix, Arizona, June 28, 2019
On June 28, 2019 at about 5:33 pm local time, a 2001 Cessna 172, registered N606JA, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Phoenix, Arizona (Phoenix Deer Valley airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The student pilot's improper landing flare and failure to maintain the runway heading, which resulted in the loss of airplane control, and the flight instructor's delayed remedial action during a go-around with a crosswind, which resulted in a bounced landing and subsequent impact with a pole.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 28, 2019 · about 5:33 pm local time
- Place
- Phoenix, Arizona · Phoenix Deer Valley · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172 S, built 2001 · all 172s on the register
- Registration
- N606JA · no longer on the register · serial 172S8767
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The flight instructor reported that, while the student pilot was making a soft-field landing, the airplane's nose was high, and the student chose to go around before touchdown. The airplane did not climb and drifted left. The instructor assumed control of the airplane and attempted to correct by pitching the nose down, adding full power, and decreasing flaps to 20°. However, the airplane did not climb or accelerate and continued to drift left. Subsequently, the airplane touched down and bounced on the gravel infield, entered the ramp area, and impacted a light pole. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the both wings. The instructor reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The airport's automated weather observation station reported that, about 20 minutes after the accident, the wind was from 180° at 4 knots. The student was landing the airplane on runway 7L.
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
- Loss of control in flight during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
- Attempted remediation/recovery during landing (aborted after touchdown)
- Abnormal runway contact during landing (aborted after touchdown)
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (aborted after touchdown)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Heading/course › Not attained/maintained
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Landing flare › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Student/instructed pilot
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Delayed action › Instructor/check pilot
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Crosswind › Effect on operation
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Pole › Effect on operation
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 807 hours in all; 706 in this make and model; 293 in the last 90 days; 60 in the last 30 days; 709 as pilot in command; 468 on instruments
- Last flight review: March 11, 2019
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 148 hours in all; 148 in this make and model; 43 in the last 90 days; 20 in the last 30 days; 3 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 14,565.2 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, June 7, 2019
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-L2A (piston); 8,313 hours total
- Operator: Westwind School Of Aeronautics Phoenix Llc
The flight
- Departed from: DVT Phoenix AZ at 4:10 pm
- Destination: DVT Phoenix AZ
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 07L, 4,500 ft by 75 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 97°F (36°C), dew point 30°F (-1°C)
- Altimeter: 29.95 inHg
- Observation at 5:53 pm from KDVT
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
2 documents, released by the NTSB on August 9, 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 | Accident Photos | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.