Cessna 175A accident near Ash Fork, Arizona, June 7, 2003
On June 7, 2003 at about 8:45 pm local time, a Cessna 175A, registered N6902E, was substantially damaged in an accident near Ash Fork, Arizona (Private airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to attain and maintain an adequate airspeed, which resulted in a stall mush condition. Factors were the loose and uneven dirt runway surface, the known tailwind with gusts, and high density altitude.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 7, 2003 · about 8:45 pm local time
- Place
- Ash Fork, Arizona · Private · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 175A · all 175As on the register
- Registration
- N6902E · no longer on the register · serial 56402
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot collided with trees during the takeoff initial climb. When the pilot departed runway 2 with full fuel and retracted flaps, he was aware of a quartering tailwind he believed to be around 10 knots. The normal procedure was to depart to the north, due to the downward sloping runway. He flew in and out of the airstrip regularly and did not find the current weather conditions unusual. In the past, the pilot calculated the takeoff distance many times, and usually required about 900 feet to rotate. He could not remember if he had performed any takeoff calculations using the weather and airplane conditions immediately prior to the accident. The trees that the airplane collided with were located about 60 feet from the north end of the runway and were approximately 12 feet tall. Due to the slope of the terrain, the treetops were at the runway elevation. The runway was described as being in "poor condition." Density altitude was about 9,800 feet msl. No mechanical problems were noted with the airplane prior to the accident. The pilot stated that future accidents could be prevented by not departing from short airstrips with a tailwind.
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: 450 hours in all
- Last flight review: August 31, 2002
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (expired)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,994 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 8, 2002; 40 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,350 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental GO-300C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PVT Ash Fork AZ at 8:45 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 03, 1,300 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 230° at 12 knots, gusting 19
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 36°F (2°C)
- Altimeter: 30.10 inHg
- Observation at 8:56 pm from FLG, 52 miles away
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.