Cessna 172N accident near Grand Canyon, Arizona, January 9, 1986
On January 9, 1986 at about 2:47 am local time, a Cessna 172N, registered N2113E, was destroyed in an accident near Grand Canyon, Arizona (Grand Canyon airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people were killed. 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
- January 9, 1986 · about 2:47 am local time
- Place
- Grand Canyon, Arizona · Grand Canyon · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172N · all 172Ns on the register
- Registration
- N2113E · no longer on the register · serial 17271160
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT DEPTD RUNWAY 03 AT GRAND CANYON AIRPORT, GRAND CANYON, AZ ON A MOONLESS NIGHT. SHORTLY AFTER DEPARTURE THE AIRCRAFT ENTERED INTO A LEFT TURN. THE AIRCRAFT COLLIDED INTO SOME TREES IN ABOUT A 45 DEG NOSE DOWN AND ABOUT A 15 DEG LEFT WING DOWN ATTITUDE ABOUT 1 1/2 MILES NORTHWEST OF THE AIRPORT. THERE WERE NO WITNESSES. THE AREA NORTHWEST OF THE ARPT IS UNLIT AND THERE WAS NO VISIBLE HORIZON. THE PLT DID NOT HOLD AN INSTRUMENT RATING. THE PILOT'S LOGBOOK WAS DESTROYED IN THE POST IMPACT FIRE. A FLT INSTRUCTOR REPTD THAT HE OBSERVED THE PILOT'S LOGBOOK ON THE DAY OF THE ACCIDENT AND THAT THE CHECK OUT FLT WAS THE FIRST FLIGHT THE PLT HAD LOGGED WITHIN THE PRECEDING YEAR.
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--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,427 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, November 30, 1985; 32 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-H2AD (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Destination: L15 Las Vegas NV
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 3, 8,999 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 39°F (4°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.