Cessna 172E accident near Gila Bend, Arizona, May 6, 1983
On May 6, 1983 at about 3:45 am local time, a Cessna 172E, registered N7795U, was substantially damaged in an accident near Gila Bend, Arizona (Gila Bend Muni airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were seriously injured. 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
- May 6, 1983 · about 3:45 am local time
- Place
- Gila Bend, Arizona · Gila Bend Muni · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172E · all 172Es on the register
- Registration
- N7795U · no longer on the register · serial 17251795
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE STUDENT PLT DEPARTED LIVERMORE, CA AT AN UNDETERMINED TIME. HE REPORTED THAT HIS DESTINATION WAS TUCSON, AZ. EN ROUTE STOPS WERE MADE AT BAKERSFIELD & BANNING, CA. AFTER REFUELING AT BANNING, HE DEPARTED ON A UNSPECIFIED & UNDETERMINED ROUTE. HE STATED THAT IN THE VICINITY OF AJO, AZ, HE ELECTED TO RETURN TO GILA BEND, AZ, BUT PROVIDED NO REASON FOR THE DIVERSION. ACCORDING TO HIM, THE ENGINE QUIT RUNNING DURING ARRIVAL & HE WAS TOO LOW TO ALIGN THE ACFT WITH THE RWY. THE ACFT WAS LANDED CROSS-WISE TO THE RWY & COLLIDED WITH A DIRT BERM. AN EXAM REVEALED THE LEFT FUEL TANK WAS EMPTY & ONLY ABOUT 2 GAL WAS REMAINING IN THE RIGHT TANK. UNUSABLE FUEL FOR THE CESSNA 172E IS APRX 2 GAL. THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE THAT THE STUDENT PILOT WAS INDORSED FOR THE X-COUNTRY. THERE WAS NO INDICATION IN HIS REPORT THAT EITHER OF THE PASSENGERS WERE RATED PILOTS.
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: student
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 250 hours in all; 5 in this make and model; 4 in the last 90 days; 220 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,057 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 1, 1982
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-300 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Banning CA
- Destination: TUS Tucson AZ
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, bright
- Wind: from 250° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 34°F (1°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:55 am from GBN
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.