Cessna 172M accident near Marana, Arizona, July 28, 1989
On July 28, 1989 at about 4:27 pm local time, a Cessna 172M, registered N61552, was substantially damaged in an accident near Marana, Arizona. 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
INADEQUATE PREFLIGHT BY THE STUDENT PILOT, INADEQUATE SUPERVISION BY THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR (CFI), AND FUEL EXHAUSTION DUE TO LACK OF FUEL. RELATED FACTORS WERE: INOPERATIVE LEFT FUEL QUANTITY GAGE, THE CFI'S DECISION TO MAKE THE FLIGHT WITH A KNOWN DEFICIENCY IN THE FUEL GAGE, AND OBSTRUCTIONS (TREE LIKE CACTUS) IN THE EMERGENCY LANDING AREA.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 28, 1989 · about 4:27 pm local time
- Place
- Marana, Arizona · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172M · all 172Ms on the register
- Registration
- N61552 · registry record · serial 17264635
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
BEFORE TAKING OFF ON A FLT FOR A BIENNIAL FLT REVIEW, THE PVT PLT PREFLIGHTED THE ACFT & THE INSTRUCTOR (CFI) TOOK HIS WORD THAT ABOUT 20 GAL OF FUEL WAS ON BOARD. THE OPERATOR RPRTD THE CFI WAS AWARE THAT THE LEFT FUEL GAGE WAS INOP. NO DIP STICK WAS USED TO MEASURE THE QUANTITY OF FUEL BEFORE TAKEOFF. AFTER ABOUT 35 MIN OF FLT, THE ENG LOST POWER AS THE STUDENT WAS MAKING A GO-AROUND FROM A SIMULATED FORCED LNDG, BUT FULL POWER RESUMED WHEN THE NOSE WAS LOWERED. ABOUT 1 TO 2 MINS LATER, THE ENG LOST POWER AGAIN, BUT WOULD NOT RESTART. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE ACFT WAS DAMAGED WHEN IT HIT A SAGUARO (TREE LIKE) CACTUS DRG AN EMERGENCY LANDING. NO FUEL WAS FOUND IN THE TANKS AFTER THE ACDNT.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,200 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Double Eagle Aviation, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: TUS Tucson AZ at 3:51 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 40 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; not recorded
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.