Cessna 172N accident near Mesa, Arizona, April 12, 1986
On April 12, 1986 at about 4:34 pm local time, a Cessna 172N, registered N6235D, was substantially damaged in an accident near Mesa, Arizona (Falcon Field). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was 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
- April 12, 1986 · about 4:34 pm local time
- Place
- Mesa, Arizona · Falcon Field · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172N · all 172Ns on the register
- Registration
- N6235D · registry record · serial 17272653
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT LOST CONTROL OF THE ACFT DURING A TOUCH AND GO MANEUVER AND RAN OFF THE RWY. AFTER TOUCHDOWN THE ACFT LIFTED BACK OFF THE GROUND AND DRIFTED RIGHT. THE ACFT THEN SETTLED AND TOUCHED DOWN ON THE RIGHT SHOULDER OF THE RWY. THE PLT THEN NOTICED A DRAINAGE DITCH AND ATTEMPTED A GO-AROUND BY ADDING PWR. THE ACFT BECAME AIRBORNE AGAIN, CLEARED THE DITCH AND IMPACTED THE GROUND IN A NOSE LOW, RIGHT WING LOW ATTITUDE. THE PLT INDICATED ON HIS PILOT/OPERATOR ACCIDENT REPORT THAT THE ACFT WAS EQUIPPED WITH STOL WINGTIPS AND THAT HE HAD LOGGED A TOTAL OF 4.5 HRS IN THIS MAKE AND MODEL. HE ALSO STATED, 'I THINK I MAY HAVE STALLED THE AIRCRAFT.'
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
- Flight time: 81 hours in all; 5 in this make and model; 29 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 31 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,755 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, February 13, 1986; 63 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-HDA2 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Arizona Aviation
The flight
- Departed from: FFZ Mesa AZ at 4:15 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 4L, 3,800 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 110° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 35 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 12,000 ft; not recorded at 12,000 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:30 pm from FFZ
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.