Cessna 172 accident near Morman Lake, Arizona, May 10, 1982
On May 10, 1982 at about 4:45 pm local time, a Cessna 172, registered N78810, was destroyed in an accident near Morman Lake, Arizona. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed and 2 people were seriously injured. The weather was conditions the NTSB did not record.
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
- May 10, 1982 · about 4:45 pm local time
- Place
- Morman Lake, Arizona
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed and 2 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- conditions the NTSB did not record
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172 · all 172s on the register
- Registration
- N78810 · no longer on the register · serial 17257776
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT DEPARTED WINSLOW, AZ ON A FLT TO LONG BEACH, CA WITH AN EN ROUTE STOP SCHEDULED FOR PRESCOT, AZ. BEFORE DEPARTING WINSLOW, THE PLT WAS WARNED BY ANOTHER PLT THAT HE HAD ENCOUNTERED EXTREME TURBULENCE IN THE VICINITY OF MORMON MTN. THE PLT AND PAX'S REMAINED OVERNIGHT AT WINSLOW. THE NEXT MORNING THE PLT WAS ADVISED BY THE OTHER PLT THAT THE WX CONDS AT MORMON & MINGUS MTNS WERE STILL HAZARDOUS, HE RECOMMENDED THAT THEY FLY A SOUTHERLY ROUTE TOWARD PHOENIX, AZ TO CIRCUMNAVIGATE THE HIGH TERRAIN. THE PLT TOOK OFF & CONTD WESTBOUND. HE REPORTED THAT AS THEY PASSED OVER MORMON LAKE, THE PLANE BEGAN TO LOSE ALTITUDE. REPORTEDLY, HE STARTED TO CIRCLE OVER THE LAKE TO GAIN ALTITUDE, BUT ENCOUNTERED A DOWNDRAFT AND THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH TREES & CRASHED (7600' MSL). DURING AN EXAM OF THE WRECKAGE, NO PREIMPACT, MECHANICAL DISCREPANCIES WERE FOUND THAT WOULD HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO THE ACCIDENT. A WEIGHT & BALANCE COMPUTATION REVEALED THE GROSS WEIGHT WAS APRX 2474 LBS. THE MAX AUTHORIZE GROSS WEIGHT WAS 2300 LBS.
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
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,714 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: INW Winslow AZ at 8:50 am
- Destination: LGB Long Beach CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 200° at 16 knots
- Visibility: 8 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; clear
- Temperature: 138°F (59°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 | 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.