Cessna 172N accident near Goodyear, Arizona, May 31, 1986
On May 31, 1986 at about 3:03 pm local time, a Cessna 172N, registered N2002E, was substantially damaged in an accident near Goodyear, Arizona (Goodyear airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was 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 November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 31, 1986 · about 3:03 pm local time · cases in 1986
- Place
- Goodyear, Arizona · Goodyear · cases near this airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172N · all 172Ns on the register
- Registration
- N2002E · registry record · serial 172-71115
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE STUDENT PILOT WAS ON HER FIRST SUPERVISED SOLO ON RUNWAY 03 AT GOODYEAR AIRPORT, GOODYEAR, AZ. HER INSTRUCTOR ADVISED HER TO MAKE THREE TOUCH & GO TAKEOFF'S AND LANDINGS. THE INSTRUCTOR POSITIONED HERSELF NEAR THE LANDING AREA AND ADVISED THE STUDENT PILOT THAT SHE WOULD WAVE TO HER IF SHE WANTED HER TO TERMINATE THE TAKEOFF'S AND LANDINGS. THE INSTRUCTOR REPORTED THAT THE INITIAL LANDING WAS NEARLY PERFECT. DURING THE SECOND TAKEOFF ROLL THE STUDENT PILOT FAILED TO RETRACT THE FLAPS & THE ACFT LIFTED OFF IN A VERY SHORT DISTANCE AND ABOUT A 30 DEGREE PITCH UP ATTITUDE. WHEN THE ACFT REACHED ABOUT 100 FT ABOVE GROUND LEVEL IT BEGAN A LEFT TURN AND A STEEP DESCENDING DIVE. THE ACFT CAME TO REST ON ABOUT A 200 DEG MAGNETIC HEADING, RIGHT-SIDE UP. THE STUDENT PILOT SUSTAINED SERIOUS INJURIES. RUNWAY 03 IS CONCRETE SURFACED AND IS 8,500 FT LONG BY 150 FT WIDE.
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
- Flight time: 28 hours in all; 28 in this make and model; 28 in the last 90 days; 13 in the last 30 days; 1 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 466 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 2, 1986; 25 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-H2AD (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 3, 8,500 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 100° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 10,000 ft; scat at 7,000 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:07 am from GYR
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.
Other NTSB records under N2002E the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N2002E on the register today · the tail number may have moved to another aircraft since
- Cessna 172 Skyhawk 20,687 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Cessna 72,682 aircraft on the register
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-H2AD 83 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Phoenix Goodyear Airport · nearest airport
- Accidents and incidents in Arizona 2,985 since 1982 · 468 in the last ten years
- Arizona 8,431 aircraft registered
- Other NTSB records under N2002E 1 records · the number may have belonged to another aircraft at the time
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/LAX86LA237.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.