Cessna 180A accident near Prescott, Arizona, February 24, 1988
On February 24, 1988 at about 11:40 pm local time, a Cessna 180A, registered N26AW, was substantially damaged in an accident near Prescott, Arizona (Love Field). 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
- February 24, 1988 · about 11:40 pm local time
- Place
- Prescott, Arizona · Love Field · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 180A · all 180As on the register
- Registration
- N26AW · registry record · serial 32544
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING THE DUAL PRIMARY CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHT, THE STUDENT WAS MAKING THE APPROACH AND LANDING AT PRESCOTT. THE CFI SAID THAT THE APPROACH AND TOUCHDOWN WERE NORMAL, HOWEVER, THE AIRCRAFT BEGAN DRIFTING TO THE RIGHT IN A GRADUAL TURN AS THE AIRCRAFT SLOWED. THE STUDENT'S CONTROL INPUTS TO CORRECT THE RIGHT TURN WERE UNSUCCESSFUL AND THE AIRCRAFT GROUND LOOPED IN THE SOFT SOIL OFF THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY. THE CFI STATED THAT HE 'PROBABLY WAITED TOO LONG TO TAKE THE AIRCRAFT' FROM THE STUDENT, WHOM HE DESCRIBED AS 'AN EXCELLENT STUDENT.' SUBSEQUENT EXAMINATION OF THE AIRCRAFT BY A REPAIR STATION REVEALED THAT THE TAIL WHEEL STEERING PAWL WAS BROKEN AND WOULD ONLY STEER THE AIRCRAFT TO THE RIGHT AND WOULD NOT ENGAGE TO THE LEFT AT ALL. EXAMINATION OF THE CFI'S LOGBOOK REVEALED THAT HE ONLY HAD ABOUT 150 HOURS AS A CFI. ALL OF THE STUDENT'S FLIGHT TIME WAS ACCRUED IN CESSNA 120 & 180 MODEL 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: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot, flight engineer
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 8,245 hours in all; 52 in this make and model; 135 in the last 90 days; 40 in the last 30 days; 4,415 as pilot in command; 150 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,630 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 10, 1987; 58 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470-K (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: E98 Los Lunas NM at 8:10 pm
- Destination: PRC
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 3, 7,608 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 310° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 65 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 28,000 ft
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 19°F (-7°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:50 pm from PRC
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.