Cessna 172 accident near Litchfield Park, Arizona, April 28, 1982
On April 28, 1982 at about 4:35 pm local time, a Cessna 172, registered N5434D, was substantially damaged in an accident near Litchfield Park, 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).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 28, 1982 · about 4:35 pm local time
- Place
- Litchfield Park, Arizona · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172 · all 172s on the register
- Registration
- N5434D · registry record · serial 17272569
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE STUDENT WAS A PRIVATE PILOT WHO WAS PRACTICING FOR A COMMERCIAL CERTIFICATE. DURING THE FLIGHT, HE ELECTED TO MAKE A SIMULATED EMERGENCY LANDING ON A DIRT STRIP. HE STATED THAT DURING THE TAKEOFF PHASE OF A TOUCH AND GO, HE ENCOUNTERED A DUST DEVIL. REPORTEDLY, HE APPROACHED A STALL CONDITION WHILE ATTEMPTING TO CLEAR TREES, THEN IMPACTED THE GROUND.
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: 130 hours in all; 12 in this make and model; 127 in the last 90 days; 54 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,527 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 79 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-H2AD (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Litchfield Aviation, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: Litchfield Park AZ at 8:30 am
- Destination: Litchfield Park AZ
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 040° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; clear
- Temperature: 171°F (77°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
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.