Cessna 172N accident near Phoenix, Arizona, April 6, 1995
On April 6, 1995 at about 8:46 pm local time, a Cessna 172N, registered N737AV, was substantially damaged in an accident near Phoenix, Arizona (Phoenix Sky Harbor airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE USE OF EXCESSIVE BREAK-AWAY THRUST BY THE BOEING 737 CREW. A FACTOR RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WAS: IMPROPER PLANNING/DECISION BY THE CESSNA 172 PILOT BY ACCEPTING A CLEARANCE TO TAXI BEHIND THE BOEING 737 WITHOUT ASSURANCE THAT THE BOEING 737 CREW WOULD NOT POWER UP.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 6, 1995 · about 8:46 pm local time
- Place
- Phoenix, Arizona · Phoenix Sky Harbor · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172N · all 172Ns on the register
- Registration
- N737AV · registry record · serial 17269276
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
MECHANICS IN A BOEING 737 MADE A HIGH SPEED TAXI DOWN RUNWAY 26L TO TEST THE ENGINES AS CESSNA 172N, N737AV, WAS ON FINAL APPROACH TO LAND. THE TOWER CONTROLLER TOLD THE BOEING MECHANICS TO EXIT AT MIDFIELD AND 'CONTINUE IN THE TURN ONTO THE PARALLEL TAXIWAY NO DELAY OFF PLEASE.' ONE MINUTE LATER, THE MECHANICS ASKED TO GO TO THE GATE AND THE CONTROLLER SAID TO CONTACT GROUND CONTROL. AFTER TURNING ONTO THE PARALLEL TAXIWAY, THE BOEING CAME TO A STOP. THE MECHANICS DID NOT CONTACT GROUND CONTROL UNTIL AFTER THE ACCIDENT (1 MINUTE 45 SECONDS LATER). THE TOWER CONTROLLER TOLD THE CESSNA PILOT TO EXIT AT THE SAME TAXIWAY, THEN CONTACT GROUND CONTROL. HE SAID HE CLEARED THE CESSNA ON THE ASSUMPTION THAT THE BOEING WOULD NOT STOP. THE CESSNA 172 EXITED THE RUNWAY AND STOPPED AT THE HOLD SHORT LINE. THE CESSNA WAS TOLD TO TAXI NORTHBOUND CROSSING BEHIND THE BOEING. THE CESSNA MOVED JUST AS THE BOEING BEGAN POWERING UP TO MOVE AND THE JET BLAST RESULTED IN SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE CESSNA. THE MECHANICS SAID THEY STOPPED AFTER THE TURN AND SET THE BRAKES WHILE TUNING THE RADIO TO GROUND. THEY SAID THEY POWERED UP TO 40 TO 50 PERCENT N1 TO BEGIN TAXIING AGAIN WHEN THEY HEARD ABOUT 'BLASTING THE CESSNA.' N1 AT IDLE POWER WAS 21%. BOEING SPOKESMAN SAID BREAK-AWAY THRUST FOR AN EMPTY AIRCRAFT WAS 25 PERCENT N1, WHILE A FULLY LOADED AIRCRAFT NEEDED 35%.
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: 765 hours in all; 684 in this make and model; 35 in the last 90 days; 24 in the last 30 days; 706 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,541 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 1, 1995; 37 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-H2AD (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: FUL Fullerton CA at 5:50 pm
- Destination: PHX
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 26L, 10,300 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 8:48 pm from PHX
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.
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.