North American AT-6 D accident near Prescott, Arizona, May 5, 2001
On May 5, 2001 at about 6:15 pm local time, a North American AT-6 D, registered N7421C, was substantially damaged in an accident near Prescott, Arizona (Ernest A. Love Field). 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 pilot's inadequate compensation for an existing crosswind condition.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 5, 2001 · about 6:15 pm local time
- Place
- Prescott, Arizona · Ernest A. Love Field · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- North American AT-6 D · all AT-6 Ds on the register
- Registration
- N7421C · registry record · serial 42-85599
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
On touchdown the airplane was struck by a gust of wind. The CFI aborted the landing and the airplane struck taxiway signs, traveled through a ditch and came to rest on the opposite side of the ditch on it's landing gear. The purpose of the flight was to provide transition training for the front seat pilot who had recently purchased a similiar airplane. The CFI reported that the previous landings had been on runway 21L, and that the front seat pilot had not done as well as the CFI had hoped. Prior to the accident landing, the local controller switched the active runway to 30 due to a change of wind direction. Reported METAR winds at PRC were from 350 degrees at 9 knots gusting to 18 knots. The CFI was flying the airplane on the accident landing. The airplane touched down in a slight crab. Before the CFI could straighten the airplane it departed the runway. He attempted to go-around and then aborted the go-around due to a ditch off the right side of the runway.
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
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,357 hours in all; 2,473 in this make and model; 30 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: May 18, 2000
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rear
- Injury: no injuries
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 13,250 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
Crew member
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,146 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, April 18, 2001; 4 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,500 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Pratt & Whitney 1340 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PRC Prescott AZ at 6:00 pm
- Destination: PRC Prescott AZ
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 30, 4,408 ft by 75 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 350° at 9 knots, gusting 16
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 18°F (-8°C)
- Altimeter: 30.05 inHg
- Observation at 6:28 pm from PRC
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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.