Cessna 172N accident near North Las Vegas, Nevada, June 24, 2002
On June 24, 2002 at about 5:30 am local time, a Cessna 172N, registered N160RA, was substantially damaged in an accident near North Las Vegas, Nevada (North Las Vegas airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's decision to continue the flight after dark with an inoperative taxi/landing light deficiency, and his unfamiliarity with the taxiways.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 24, 2002 · about 5:30 am local time
- Place
- North Las Vegas, Nevada · North Las Vegas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172N · all 172Ns on the register
- Registration
- N160RA · no longer on the register · serial 17268851
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
While taxiing without landing lights at night, the airplane departed the taxiway and came to rest in a concrete drainage ditch. After landing, the pilot maneuvered the airplane onto the taxiway with the assumption that the turnoff was a 90-degree turn. The pilot indicated that he was aware that the landing/taxi light on the airplane was inoperative. He further stated that he flew the airplane after dark with the known deficiency. The pilot stated that there were no other mechanical anomalies noted 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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 5,363 hours in all; 173 in this make and model; 5 in the last 90 days; 1 in the last 30 days; 4,979 as pilot in command; 2,104 on instruments
- Last flight review: July 2, 2001
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,375 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, June 19, 2002; 16 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: À/O O-320-H2AD (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: VGT North Las Vegas NV at 4:50 am
- Destination: VGT North Las Vegas NV
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 07, 5,004 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night
- Wind: from 360° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 3,000 ft
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 30.11 inHg
- Observation at 4:56 am from VGT
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
Other NTSB records under N160RA the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number LAX02LA205.