Cessna 150 accident near Cottonwood, Arizona, May 21, 1992
On May 21, 1992, a Cessna 150, registered N191P, was destroyed in an accident near Cottonwood, Arizona (Cottonwood airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A FAILURE OF THE STUDENT PILOT TO CONDUCT AN ADEQUATE PRE-FLIGHT INSPECTION TO REMOVE CONTAMINATED FUEL; A FAILURE TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE AIRSPEED TO PREVENT AN INADVERTENT STALL. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS AN INADEQUATE ANNUAL INSPECTION OF THE FUEL SYSTEM TO DETECT A LEAKING FUEL CAP, AND INADEQUATE SUPERVISION OF THE FLIGHT BY THE PILOT-INCOMMAND.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 21, 1992
- Place
- Cottonwood, Arizona · Cottonwood · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 150 · all 150s on the register
- Registration
- N191P · no longer on the register · serial 17704
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT FLIGHT, THE NON-CERTIFICATED STUDENT PILOT FUELED THE AIRPLANE FROM A 5-GALLON CONTAINER WITH AUTOMOTIVE FUEL. HE THEN INVITED A CERTIFICATED PILOT TO ACCOMPANY HIM ON A LOCAL AREA FLIGHT. WITNESSES OBSERVED THE AIRPLANE DEPART AND APPEARED TO CLIMB SLOWLY AT A SLOW AIRSPEED. DURING A LEFT TURN AFTER DEPARTURE, OTHER WITNESS HEARD THE ENGINE RUNNING ROUGH, SPUTTERING, AND THEN QUIT RUNNING. THE AIRPLANE THEN BANKED TO THE RIGHT AND DESCENDED IN A NEAR VERTICAL ATTITUDE, STRIKING A CEDAR TREE AND MOBILE HOME. THE AIRPLANE WAS CONSUMED BY A POST CRASH FIRE. EXAMINATION OF THE LEFT FUEL TANK THAT WAS NOT DAMAGED BY FIRE, REVEALED THE PRESENCE OF OVER A QUART OF WATER. THE INTERIOR FILLER NECK AND FUEL CAP HAD EVIDENCE OF RUST.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,900 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 13, 1992; 26 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,500 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-200-A (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: P52
- Destination: P52
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 14, 4,250 ft by 75 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 100° at 11 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 4,000 ft; scat at 2,500 ft
- Temperature: 54°F (12°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
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.