Cessna 172N accident near Schurz, Nevada, June 30, 1994
On June 30, 1994 at about 9:25 pm local time, a Cessna 172N, registered N733AA, was destroyed in an accident near Schurz, Nevada (Schurz airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured and 3 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's inability to maintain an adequate airspeed in the takeoff initial climb due to an encounter with a windshear.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 30, 1994 · about 9:25 pm local time
- Place
- Schurz, Nevada · Schurz · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 3 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172N · all 172Ns on the register
- Registration
- N733AA · registry record · serial 17268135
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The passenger seated in the right front seat holds an airline transport pilot certificate and is an airline pilot. The witness reported that he did not observe a windsock on the airstrip and they had to gauge the wind conditions before takeoff by looking at the trees around the airport. He estimated that the winds were from 310 degrees at 10 knots with higher gusts to over 20 knots. Both he and the pilot stated in separate interviews that the takeoff was normal until the aircraft achieved about 100 feet agl. At that point, the aircraft encountered a 'very turbulent boundary layer' and the airspeed indicator 'instantaneously went from 80 to 30 knots and the stall horn came on continuously.' Both of the pilots stated that they could not recover the airspeed and the aircraft descended to impact with a telephone pole and wire at the north airport boundary.
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: 227 hours in all; 131 in this make and model; 5 in the last 90 days; 1 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,580 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, May 5, 1994
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2D (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Nevada Cal Aero
The flight
- Departed from: 3Q1 at 9:25 pm
- Destination: RNO Reno NV
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 34, 3,200 ft by 45 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 310° at 10 knots, gusting 20
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; clear
- Temperature: 95°F (35°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 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.