Cessna 172 accident near Gila Bend, Arizona, March 14, 1993
On March 14, 1993 at about 6:29 pm local time, a Cessna 172, registered N4070F, was substantially damaged in an accident near Gila Bend, Arizona. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE FAILURE OF MAINTENANCE PERSONNEL TO PERFORM MANDATORY SERVICE BULLETINS DURING THE ANNUAL INSPECTION 20 FLYING HOURS PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT WHICH RESULTED IN THE CARBURETOR'S PRIMARY VENTURI BECOMING LOOSE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 14, 1993 · about 6:29 pm local time · cases in 1993
- Place
- Gila Bend, Arizona · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172 · all 172s on the register
- Registration
- N4070F · registry record · serial 36970
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE AIRPLANE WAS BEING FLOWN ON A LOCAL SIGHTSEEING FLIGHT. THE PILOT SAID HE WAS AT ABOUT 2500 FEET AT CRUISE RPM. AFTER THE AIRPLANE CROSSED THE DAM, THE RPM DROPPED TO IDLE AND THE ENGINE BEGAN TO RUN ROUGH. THE PILOT SELECTED A DIRT ROAD AS A POTENTIAL LANDING SITE. AS HE TURNED FINAL, THE ENGINE REGAINED PARTIAL POWER. THE PILOT ELECTED TO PERFORM A GO AROUND, AT WHICH TIME THE ENGINE AGAIN LOST POWER. THE PILOT ELECTED TO LAND ON A ROADWAY. DURING THE FINAL APPROACH THE LEFT WING STRUCK THE GROUND FIRST, CAUSING THE AIRPLANE TO CARTWHEEL. THE INVESTIGATION REVEALED THE PRIMARY AND MAIN VENTURI WAS A TWO PIECE DESIGN AND THE PRIMARY VENTURI BECAME LOOSE, WHICH CAUSED THE LOSS OF ENGINE POWER. TWO SERVICE BULLETIN'S WERE NOT PERFORMED WHICH WOULD HAVE REPLACED THE TWO PIECE DESIGN WITH A ONE PIECE VENTURI. THE AIRPLANE RECEIVED AN ANNUAL INSPECTION 3 MONTHS BEFORE THE ACCIDENT AND HAD ACCRUED 20 FLIGHT HOURS SINCE THE INSPECTION.
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: 465 hours in all; 365 in this make and model; 22 in the last 90 days; 6 in the last 30 days; 426 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,451 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 21, 1992; 20 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,200 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-300-A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: P10 Chandler AZ at 6:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 140° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 9,000 ft; not recorded at 9,000 ft
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 43°F (6°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:15 pm from CGZ, 15 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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 N4070F the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N4070F on the register today · the tail number may have moved to another aircraft since
- Cessna 172 Skyhawk 20,687 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Cessna 72,682 aircraft on the register
- Engine: Continental O-300-A 15 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Polacca Airport · departed from
- Accidents and incidents in Arizona 2,985 since 1982 · 468 in the last ten years
- Arizona 8,431 aircraft registered
- Other NTSB records under N4070F 1 records · the number may have belonged to another aircraft at the time
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/LAX93LA150.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.