Cessna R172K accident near Picacho, Arizona, October 10, 1992
On October 10, 1992 at about 8:45 pm local time, a Cessna R172K, registered N736WZ, was substantially damaged in an accident near Picacho, Arizona (Eds Field). 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'S ENCOUNTER WITH THE UNFORECASTED CYCLONIC WIND.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 10, 1992 · about 8:45 pm local time
- Place
- Picacho, Arizona · Eds Field
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna R172K · all R172Ks on the register
- Registration
- N736WZ · no longer on the register · serial R1722858
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
BEFORE DEPARTING ON THE ACCIDENT FLIGHT THE PILOT CALLED THE FSS AND FOUND THAT NO ADVERSE WEATHER HAD BEEN REPORTED. THE PILOT THEN FLEW TO THE LOCAL AREA TO PRACTICE SOME BASIC MANEUVERS. AFTER COMPLETING THE MANEUVERS HE FLEW TO AN UNCONTROLLED AIRPORT TO PRACTICE TAKEOFFS AND LANDINGS. UPON ARRIVING OVER THE AIRPORT HE BROADCAST HIS INTENTIONS TO LAND, BUT NO ONE RESPONDED. THE PILOT OVERFLEW THE AIRPORT AND DETERMINED THAT THE SURFACE WINDS WERE LIGHT AND FAVORED RUNWAY 33. HE THEN FLEW A NORMAL LEFT TRAFFIC PATTERN. WHEN HE FLARED THE AIRCRAFT FOR LANDING, A STRONG WIND GUST, ASSOCIATED WITH A DUST DEVIL, SUDDENLY RAISED THE RIGHT WING. THE LEFT WING STRUCK THE RUNWAY BEFORE THE PILOT COULD ARREST THIS CONDITION.
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: 160 hours in all; 45 in this make and model; 19 in the last 90 days; 16 in the last 30 days; 97 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, September 1, 1992; 50 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-360-K (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Monterey Navy Flying Club
The flight
- Departed from: E60 Eloy AZ at 7:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 33, 5,200 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 40 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 88°F (31°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 N736WZ 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.