Cessna 172N accident near Prescott, Arizona, March 4, 1994
On March 4, 1994 at about 5:05 pm local time, a Cessna 172N, registered N487ER, was substantially damaged in an accident near Prescott, Arizona (Ernest A. Love Fld airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE STUDENT PILOT'S DELAYED FLARE AND FAILURE TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT, AND THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR'S INADEQUATE SUPERVISION OF THE FLIGHT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 4, 1994 · about 5:05 pm local time
- Place
- Prescott, Arizona · Ernest A. Love Fld · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172N · all 172Ns on the register
- Registration
- N487ER · registry record · serial 70325
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE INSTRUCTOR AND STUDENT WERE PRACTICING TOUCH-AND GO- OPERATIONS. THE STUDENT CARRIED THE APPROACH ABOUT 1,000 FEET BEYOND THE APPROACH END OF THE RUNWAY, FLARED, AND MADE A VERY HARD TOUCHDOWN, STRIKING THE TAIL OF THE AIRCRAFT ON THE RUNWAY. THE AIRCRAFT BOUNCED AND POWER WAS APPLIED. THE AIRCRAFT CAME DOWN AGAIN WITH THE RIGHT MAIN WHEEL OFF THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE PAVEMENT, AND CONTINUED TO ROLL APPROXIMATELY ANOTHER 1,000 FEET, VEERING LEFT AND RIGHT, BEFORE RUNNING OFF THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY INTO A DITCH AND NOSING OVER IN SOFT DIRT. THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR HAD A TOTAL FLIGHT EXPERIENCE OF 287 HOURS WITH 11 HOURS AS A FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR. THE DUAL PRIMARY STUDENT HAD A TOTAL TIME OF 13 HOURS OF DUAL INSTRUCTION.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 287 hours in all; 195 in this make and model; 32 in the last 90 days; 23 in the last 30 days; 287 as pilot in command; 11 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, February 23, 1994
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-AUN (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 21R, 7,616 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 60 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:49 pm from PRC
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.
Other NTSB records under N487ER 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.