Cessna 172S accident near Phoenix, Arizona, July 10, 2003
On July 10, 2003 at about 3:00 pm local time, a Cessna 172S, registered N787WW, was substantially damaged in an accident near Phoenix, Arizona (Deer Valley airport). It was an instructional 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 student's misjudged landing flare and inadvertent entry into a porpoise pilot-induced oscillation.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 10, 2003 · about 3:00 pm local time
- Place
- Phoenix, Arizona · Deer Valley · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172S · all 172Ss on the register
- Registration
- N787WW · registry record · serial 17258589
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane porpoised during landing. As a result, the firewall and engine mounts were bent. The student reported that he had been practicing maneuvers in the practice area and was returning to the airport to land. He extended his downwind leg due to traffic in the pattern and entered final approach "a little high." He "flared too high, slowed, and landed flat." Then, he "porpoised airplane and landed nose gear first on [the] second touchdown." He felt the damage occured on the second touchdown. He then performed a go-around, did a second go-around after being too high on final, and landed on the third approach without difficulty. The student did not report any mechanical difficulties with the airplane prior to the accident.
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
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 88 hours in all; 88 in this make and model; 35 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 3 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,086.7 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 30, 2003; 40.2 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-L2A (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Westwind Aviation
The flight
- Departed from: KDVT Phoenix AZ at 1:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 7L
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 90°F (32°C), dew point 50°F (10°C)
- Altimeter: 29.81 inHg
- Observation at 2:53 pm from KDVT
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.