Cessna 152 accident near Scottsdale, Arizona, June 20, 1982
On June 20, 1982 at about 3:26 am local time, a Cessna 152, registered N4947H, was destroyed in an accident near Scottsdale, Arizona (Scottsdale airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were 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
- June 20, 1982 · about 3:26 am local time
- Place
- Scottsdale, Arizona · Scottsdale · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 152 · all 152s on the register
- Registration
- N4947H · no longer on the register · serial 84040
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING A DUAL INSTRUCTIONAL FLIGHT, THE STUDENT PILOT AND INSTRUCTOR PILOT (IP) WERE PRACTICING TOUCH AND GO LANDINGS. AFTER PRACTICING A SOFT FIELD APPROACH AND LANDING, THE STUDENT INITIATED A SHORT FIELD TAKEOFF WITH FULL POWER AND 10 DEGREES OF FLAPS. AFTER LIFT-OFF, THE ENGINE SUDDENLY LOST POWER WHILE THE AIRCRAFT WAS CLIMBING THROUGH ABOUT 60 FT AGL. THE IP TOOK CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT AND INITIATED CORRECTIVE ACTIONS. HE LANDED STRAIGHT AHEAD, BEYOND THE END OF THE RUNWAY, BUT WAS UNABLE TO STOP THE PLANE BEFORE HITTING A FENCE. AFTER HITTING A FENCE, THE PLANE NOSED OVER. ON 6/30/82, THE ENGINE WAS STARTED AND CHECKED. NO DISCREPANCIES WERE REPORTED EXCEPT FOR AN EXCESSIVE DROP WHEN THE MAGNETOS WERE CHECKED.
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: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 640 hours in all; 90 in this make and model; 160 in the last 90 days; 50 in the last 30 days; 560 as pilot in command; 208 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,033 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 118 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,670 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-L2C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SDL Scottsdale AZ at 6:30 pm
- Destination: SDL Scottsdale AZ
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 21, 4,800 ft by 75 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: from 290° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; clear
- Temperature: 176°F (80°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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.