Cessna 172 accident near Cottonwood, Arizona, September 22, 1991
On September 22, 1991 at about 7:25 pm local time, a Cessna 172, registered N738EL, was substantially damaged in an accident near Cottonwood, Arizona (Cottonwood airport). It was a personal 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
THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND'S DELAY IN RAISING THE FLAPS AND THE SUBSEQUENT INADVERTENT STALL/MUSH.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 22, 1991 · about 7:25 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 172 · all 172s on the register
- Registration
- N738EL · no longer on the register · serial 17269919
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE RECENTLY CERTIFICATED PRIVATE PILOT REPORTED THAT SHE WAS PRACTICING TOUCH & GO T.O.'S AND LANDINGS. ON THE THIRD T.O. WITH THE FLAPS EXTENDED 40 DEGREES, THEN SHE PLACED THE FLAP LEVER TO 10 DEGREES. THE AIRPLANE THEN PREMATURELY LIFTED OFF, BUT THE AIRSPEED WAS NOT ACCELERATING. THE PILOT REALIZED THE FLAPS WERE STILL FULLY EXTENDED AND THE AIRPLANE WAS ONLY ABOUT 2-FT OFF THE GROUND AND BEYOND THE DEPARTURE END OF THE RUNWAY. THE PILOT THEN ELECTED TO EXECUTE AN OFF-AIRPORT LANDING IN THE BRUSH COVERED DESERT. RESCUE PERSONNEL REPORTED THAT WHEN THEY ARRIVED AT THE ACCIDENT SITE THE FLAPS WERE RETRACTED. AN FAA INSPECTOR REPORTED THE FLAPS WERE FULLY EXTENDED AND THAT THE FLAP LEVER WAS IN THE FULLY EXTENDED POSITION WHEN HE ARRIVED AT THE ACCIDENT SITE AFTER THE RESCUE PERSONNEL LEFT. HE STATED THAT THE FLAPS OPERATED NORMALLY.
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: 163 hours in all; 64 in this make and model; 101 in the last 90 days; 39 in the last 30 days; 107 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,962 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, August 29, 1991; 19 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-H2AD (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: North-Aire, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: PRC Prescott AZ at 6:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 14, 4,250 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 65 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°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.
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.