Cessna 172N accident near Henderson, Nevada, February 5, 1988
On February 5, 1988 at about 8:35 pm local time, a Cessna 172N, registered N2249E, was substantially damaged in an accident near Henderson, Nevada (Sky Harbor airport). It was an instructional 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 NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 5, 1988 · about 8:35 pm local time
- Place
- Henderson, Nevada · Sky Harbor · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172N · all 172Ns on the register
- Registration
- N2249E · registry record · serial 17271204
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING GROUND LANDING ROLL ON A TOUCH AND GO PRACTICE SESSION, THE SOLO STUDENT PILOT ALLOWED THE AIRCRAFT TO DRIFT OFF THE SIDE OF THE RUNWAY AND OVERCORRECTED IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION. AFTER APPLYING FULL POWER TO ABORT THE LANDING, SHE REALIZED THE FLAPS WERE FULLY EXTENDED, AND RAISED THE FLAPS. THE AIRCRAFT DEPARTED THE SIDE OF THE RUNWAY AND NOSED OVER IN ROUGH TERRAIN.
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: student
- Flight time: 77 hours in all; 77 in this make and model; 8 in the last 90 days; 14 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,283 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 21, 1987; 22 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: LAS Las Vegas NV at 8:15 pm
- Destination: L15 Henderson NV
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 36, 5,000 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 050° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 75 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 16°F (-9°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:55 pm from LAS, 10 miles away
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.
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.