Cessna 172S accident near Phoenix, Arizona, April 5, 2002
On April 5, 2002 at about 1:15 am local time, a Cessna 172S, registered N3512T, was substantially damaged in an accident near Phoenix, Arizona (Phoenix Deer Valley Airport). It was a personal 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 flaring the airplane too high above the runway causing a stall and resulting in the hard landing. Factors relating to the accident were the light conditions (dusk) and the pilot's lack of total experience in the type of airplane.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 5, 2002 · about 1:15 am local time
- Place
- Phoenix, Arizona · Phoenix Deer Valley Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172S · all 172Ss on the register
- Registration
- N3512T · registry record · serial 172S8883
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot said that everything was fine through the traffic pattern to the flare for landing. The pilot said, "During flare, blinded momentarily by sunlight, difficulties to judge altitude above RWY (runway) correctly. Flared too high." The pilot said he kept the nose of the airplane up to protect the nosewheel. He said, "... speed bled off ... resulting in heavy bumps onto the RWY together with stall warning." The pilot said that after 3 or 4 bumps, the airplane stayed on the runway. The pilot then taxied to the ramp. The pilot concluded, "I simply landed the airplane too high due to the lighting conditions and my landing picture based on my experience landing an Airbus A340." The pilot also concluded in recommendations he provided that he get more landings "to get the right picture during (the) flare." A post-accident examination of the airplane revealed no anomalies.
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: airline transport pilot, foreign licence, private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 7,087 hours in all; 10 in this make and model; 225 in the last 90 days; 79 in the last 30 days; 12 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: March 22, 2002
- Medical certificate: Class 2
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-L2A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: GCN Grand Canyon AZ
- Destination: DVT Phoenix AZ
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 25L, 8,208 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: from 270° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 18,000 ft
- Temperature: 90°F (32°C), dew point 27°F (-3°C)
- Altimeter: 29.87 inHg
- Observation at 1:56 am from PHX, 15 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.
Other NTSB records under N3512T 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.