Cessna 172N accident near Cottonwood, Arizona, May 7, 1990
On May 7, 1990 at about 4:15 pm local time, a Cessna 172N, registered N251ER, was substantially damaged in an accident near Cottonwood, Arizona (Cottonwood airport). It was an instructional 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
PREMATURE RAISING OF THE FLAPS DURING THE GO-AROUND MANEUVER.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 7, 1990 · about 4:15 pm local time
- Place
- Cottonwood, Arizona · Cottonwood · 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
- N251ER · no longer on the register · serial 17271075
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE STUDENT PILOT (SP) WAS ON HER FIRST SUPERVISED SOLO FLIGHT. DURING THE SECOND APPROACH FOR LANDING, THE AIRCRAFT WAS NOTED TO BE TOO HIGH. THE SP ENTERED A SLIP TO LOSE THE ALTITUDE. THE AIRCRAFT TOUCHED DOWN HARD AND BOUNCED ON THE MAIN LANDING GEAR. THE SUPERVISING CERTIFIED INSTRUCTOR PILOT (CFI) INSTRUCTED THE SP TO GO-AROUND VIA A PORTABLE RADIO. THE SP INITIATED THE GO-AROUND. THE AIRCRAFT WAS NOTED TO CLIMB AND THEN DESCEND. ACCORDING TO THE CFI, THE SP RAISED THE FLAPS PREMATURELY. THE AIRCRAFT DESCENDED AND STRUCK THE RUNWAY NOSE GEAR FIRST.
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: 14 hours in all; 14 in this make and model; 14 in the last 90 days; 7 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,932 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, April 27, 1990; 32 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A4N (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 32, 4,250 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 65 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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 N251ER the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.