Cessna 152 accident near Fountain Hills, Arizona, June 15, 1991
On June 15, 1991 at about 8:45 pm local time, a Cessna 152, registered N49627, was substantially damaged in an accident near Fountain Hills, Arizona (Abandoned airport). 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 FAILURE OF THE STUDENT PILOT AND INSTRUCTOR PILOT TO CORRECTLY CONFIGURE THE AIRCRAFT FOR THE ATTEMPTED GO AROUND. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE IMPROPER SUPERVISION OF THE FLIGHT BY THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 15, 1991 · about 8:45 pm local time
- Place
- Fountain Hills, Arizona · Abandoned
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 152 · all 152s on the register
- Registration
- N49627 · no longer on the register · serial 15283458
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE INSTRUCTOR SAID THAT THE STUDENT WAS PRACTICING POWER OFF EMERGENCY LANDINGS AT A SMALL AIRSTRIP NEAR FOUNTAIN HILLS. DURING THE LAST APPROACH TO THE RUNWAY THE INSTRUCTOR NOTICED THAT THE GLIDE PATH WOULD PUT THE AIRCRAFT SHORT OF THE RUNWAY SO HE TOOK OVER THE CONTROLS AND ADDED POWER TO GO AROUND. THE INSTRUCTOR STATED THAT THE ENGINE FALTERED AND THE AIRCRAFT COULD NOT MAINTAIN ALTITUDE. THE AIRCRAFT COLLIDED WITH RISING TERRAIN JUST BEYOND THE DEPARTURE END OF THE RUNWAY. THE AIRCRAFT WAS EXAMINED ON SCENE BY FAA AIRWORTHINESS INSPECTORS. IN THEIR REPORT, THEY NOTED THAT THE CARBURETOR HEAT CONTROL WAS IN THE FULL ON POSITION AND THE MIXTURE CONTROL WAS FULL RICH. THE DENSITY ALTITUDE WAS COMPUTED TO BE IN EXCESS OF 5,000 FEET.
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 multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,355 hours in all; 527 in this make and model; 249 in the last 90 days; 90 in the last 30 days; 1,245 as pilot in command; 1,026 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded, January 2, 2000
- Maximum gross weight: 1,670 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-L2C (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Superstition Air Service
The flight
- Departed from: FFZ Mesa AZ at 8:00 pm
- Runway 36, 3,000 ft by 50 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 090° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 104°F (40°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.