Cessna 172S accident near Wikieup, Arizona, November 29, 2003
On November 29, 2003 at about 9:00 pm local time, a Cessna 172S, registered N518ER, was substantially damaged in an accident near Wikieup, Arizona. 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's selection of an en route altitude that did not provide adequate terrain clearance, and resulted in the in-flight collision with terrain. The rising terrain and the blind/box canyon were contributing factors.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 29, 2003 · about 9:00 pm local time
- Place
- Wikieup, Arizona · 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
- N518ER · registry record · serial 172S8922
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
While maneuvering over rapidly rising mountainous terrain, the pilot entered a box-like canyon and collided with terrain. The flight school's management indicated that the pilot's approved flight plan specified an en route cruise altitude of 9,500 feet mean sea level (msl). The pilot said he deviated from the approval and descended initially to 1,000 feet above the ground, about 7,000 msl, to view features on the surface. Minutes prior to the accident, the pilot was flying over a valley. Unable to outclimb the rising terrain, which led into a box-like canyon, the pilot maneuvered the airplane until it impacted the mountainside, about 7,200 feet msl.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land
- Flight time: 120 hours in all; 102 in this make and model; 10 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days; 52 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: December 19, 2002
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,682 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, November 13, 2003; 31 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,558 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University
The flight
- Departed from: IFP Bullhead City AZ at 8:07 pm
- Destination: PRC Prescott AZ
- Flight plan: VFR
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 7°F (-14°C)
- Altimeter: 30.18 inHg
- Observation at 8:53 pm from PRC, 47 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
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 LAX04LA054.