Cessna 172N accident near Deer Valley, Arizona, February 12, 1989
On February 12, 1989 at about 9:45 pm local time, a Cessna 172N, registered N3388E, was destroyed in an accident near Deer Valley, Arizona (Deer Valley airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO RAISE THE WING FLAPS DURING THE ABORTED LANDING, AND HIS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN AIRSPEED DURING THE CLIMBING RIGHT TURN.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 12, 1989 · about 9:45 pm local time
- Place
- Deer Valley, Arizona · Deer Valley · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172N · all 172Ns on the register
- Registration
- N3388E · no longer on the register · serial 17271527
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
A WITNESS SAID THE AIRPLANE WAS 'UNUSUALLY HIGH OVER THE THRESHOLD' WHEN IT SETTLED TO THE RUNWAY FROM 30 FT. THE AIRPLANE BOUNCED AND BECAME AIRBORNE. PRIOR TO THE SECOND LANDING, THE WITNESS HEARD FULL POWER APPLIED. THE AIRPLANE BOUNCED AND THEN FLEW THE LENGTH OF THE RUNWAY AT A LOW ALTITUDE AND AIRSPEED. THE WITNESS NOTED THE WING FLAPS WERE IN THE DOWN POSITION DURING THE APPROACH AND GO-AROUND. THE AIRPLANE BEGAN A CLIMBING RIGHT TURN AND THEN 'WENT NOSE DOWN INTO THE GROUND' FROM APPROXIMATELY 50 - 100 FEET. THE PILOT AND PASSENGER COULD NOT RECALL THE EVENTS OF THE FLIGHT, THE PILOT HAS A TOTAL FLIGHT TIME OF 121 HOURS WITH 6 HOURS IN THE LAST 90 DAYS. HE HAS 27 HOURS OF PIC FLIGHT TIME.
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: 121 hours in all; 23 in this make and model; 6 in the last 90 days; 27 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,239 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, January 10, 1989; 39 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 25L, 8,200 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 260° at 14 knots
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.