Cessna 152 accident near Firebird Lake, Arizona, October 28, 1984
On October 28, 1984 at about 3:15 pm local time, a Cessna 152, registered N6470L, was substantially damaged in an accident near Firebird Lake, Arizona. 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
- October 28, 1984 · about 3:15 pm local time
- Place
- Firebird Lake, Arizona · 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
- N6470L · no longer on the register · serial 15284407
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE CFI REPORTED THAT WHILE FLYING IN THE FLT SCHOOL'S DESIGNATED PRACTICE AREA AT 3800 FT MSL SHE REDUCED THE THROTTLE TO IDLE FOR THE PURPOSE OF SIMULATING AN IN-FLT EMERG FOR HER STUDENT. THE STUDENT RESPONDED PROPERLY. THE CFI STATED SHE CLEARED THE ENG, WHILE USING CARB HEAT, DURING THE GLIDE. WHEN BETWEEN 400 & 500 FT AGL, THE CFI DIRECTED A GO-AROUND & THE STUDENT PLT RESPONDED WITH FULL THROTTLE & CARB HEAT TO OFF. THE ENG CONTINUED TO OPERATE BUT NO POWER ABOVE IDLE WAS OBTAINED. EXAMINATION OF THE ACFT ENG FAILED TO REVEAL ANY REASON FOR THE POWER LOSS.
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, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,780 hours in all; 2,250 in this make and model; 230 in the last 90 days; 66 in the last 30 days; 2,665 as pilot in command; 2,300 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,776 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, October 11, 1984; 35 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: PHX Phoenix AZ at 2:35 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 60 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 39°F (4°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:15 am
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.