Cessna 337F accident near Bullhead City, Arizona, November 2, 1991
On November 2, 1991 at about 3:22 am local time, a Cessna 337F, registered N1734M, was destroyed in an accident near Bullhead City, Arizona (Laughlin Bullhead airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOTS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN A PROPER DESCENT RATE AND TO ADEQUATELY JUDGE THE ABOVE GROUND ALTITUDE OF THE AIRCRAFT DURING THE APPROACH. FACTORS IN THE ACCIDENT WERE: 1) THE DARK NIGHT CONDITIONS, 2) THE PILOT'S DEGRADED VISUAL PERCEPTIVE ABILITY, AND 3) THE FAILURE OF THE FAA TO DISSEMINATE THE AIRPORT ELEVATION CHANGE INFORMATION IN A TIMELY MANNER.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 2, 1991 · about 3:22 am local time
- Place
- Bullhead City, Arizona · Laughlin Bullhead
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 337F · all 337Fs on the register
- Registration
- N1734M · no longer on the register · serial 33701334
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DRG AN APCH TO A NEW RWY (34) AT NGT, THE ACFT DSCNDD INTO TRRN ABT 4000' SHORT OF THE RWY. THE OLD RWY (17/35) HAD RECENTLY BEEN CLOSED. THE NEW RWY (16/34) WAS APRX 1400' EAST OF THE OLD RWY & ABT 145' HIGHER. THE ARPT OPERATOR HAD NOTIFIED THE FAA OF THE ELEV CHG. THE FAA NOTAM ISSUED FOR THE NEW RWY DID NOT INCLUDE THE ALT CHG DUE TO PROC POLICY. THE PLT HAD LNDD AT THE ARPT SVRL TIMES, BUT THIS WAS TO BE HIS 1ST LNDG ON THE NEW RWY. THE PLT'S LOGBOOK SHOWED A TOTAL OF 118 HRS OF NGT TIME, BUT THE LAST RECORDED NGT FLT WAS 12 YRS BFR THE ACDNT. TWO PLTS AWAITING TAKEOFF SAW THE APCH & INDCD THE ACFT APPEARED LOW ON DWNWND & BASE LEG. THE PLT'S PSN CALLOUTS SOUNDED NML. THE PLT WAS ON MEDICATION (MED) FOR DIABETES & HI BLOOD PRES, WHICH WAS PRESCRIBED BY HIS REGULAR PHYSICIAN. NONE OF THE PRESCRIBED MEDICATIONS WAS DETECTED IN THE PLT'S BLOOD. AN FAA RGNL FLT SURGEON STATED THAT IF THE PLT DISCONTINUED HIS MEDICATION, IT COULD HAVE CAUSED HYPERTENSION AND/OR HYPERGLYCEMIA, WITH A CORRESPONDING DEGREDATION IN HIS NGT VISUAL PERCEPTIVE ABILITY.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,792 hours in all; 536 in this make and model; 9 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days; 1,701 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,264 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 11, 1991; 35 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,630 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-360-C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PSP Palm Springs CA at 1:54 am
- Destination: P06 Bullhead City AZ
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 34, 7,500 ft by 100 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 360° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 68°F (20°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:45 am from P06, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.