Cessna 172Q accident near Prescott, Arizona, September 27, 1984
On September 27, 1984 at about 6:45 pm local time, a Cessna 172Q, registered N915ER, was destroyed in an accident near Prescott, Arizona. It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people had minor injuries. 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
- September 27, 1984 · about 6:45 pm local time
- Place
- Prescott, Arizona · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172Q · all 172Qs on the register
- Registration
- N915ER · no longer on the register · serial 75930
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING A DESCENT TO THE 5,042 FT ELEVATION ARPT THE ACFT IMPACTED THE TREES AND MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN AT THE 7,000 FT LEVEL. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, WITH THE HOODED STUDENT PILOT AT THE CONTROLS, THE FLIGHT BEGAN IT'S DESCENT FROM 10,500 FT 30 MILES FROM THE ARPT. DURING THE DESCENT THE LOCAL ALTIMETER SETTING WAS DIALED IN AND THE CFI REALIZED THE ACFT WAS TOO LOW. A CLIMB WAS CALLED FOR AND THE TREES WERE SEEN JUST PRIOR TO IMPACT. THE CFI STATED THAT THEY HAD BEEN WORKING ON VOR INTERCEPTS DURING THE DESCENT.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 354 hours in all; 238 in this make and model; 91 in the last 90 days; 182 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,407 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, September 27, 1984; 5 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,200 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A4N (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Embry-Riddle Aero. Univ.
The flight
- Departed from: PRC Prescott AZ at 4:24 pm
- Destination: PRC Prescott AZ
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 190° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:50 am from PRC, 15 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 | |||
| 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.
Other NTSB records under N915ER the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.