Cessna 172 accident near Flagstaff, Arizona, August 18, 2000
On August 18, 2000 at about 4:13 pm local time, a Cessna 172, registered N2078E, was substantially damaged in an accident near Flagstaff, Arizona (Pulliam airport). It was a personal 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 pilot's improper go-around procedure and his failure to maintain directional control on landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 18, 2000 · about 4:13 pm local time
- Place
- Flagstaff, Arizona · Pulliam · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172 · all 172s on the register
- Registration
- N2078E · no longer on the register · serial 17271146
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The 80-hour private pilot was on a personal cross-country flight in a Cessna 172N. He was landing at a 7,000 feet msl airport with a density altitude of 9,083 feet. During the landing touchdown, the airplane bounced and ballooned. The pilot added power to soften the landing, but the airplane ballooned further. At that point he decided to perform a go-around. He applied full power and started climbing. The stall warning was going off, so he reduced the angle of attack. He removed the first notch of flaps 'as directed by the balked landing procedure,' and the airplane started settling back down quickly. He put the flaps back down, but the descent was not stopped. About the same time, the airplane was hit by a wind gust from the right, pushing the plane left. He attempted to correct but was blown off the runway colliding with a runway length remaining sign and subsequently, a ditch. The wind was 220 degrees at 6 knots. The pilot reported he was number three to land and was on a long final with full flaps. He stated that there were no mechanical issues with the airplane.
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: 80 hours in all; 35 in this make and model; 2 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 2,350 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Glendale Aviation
The flight
- Departed from: GEU Glendale AZ at 2:00 pm
- Destination: FLG AZ
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 21, 6,999 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 220° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 158°F (70°C), dew point 131°F (55°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:56 pm from FLG
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
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.