Cessna 172S accident near Deer Valley, Arizona, September 1, 2013
On September 1, 2013 at about 4:37 pm local time, a 2003 Cessna 172S, registered N2134M, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Deer Valley, Arizona (Phoenix Deer Valley airport). It was an instructional 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 student pilot's inadequate flare and the flight instructor's delayed remedial action and failure to maintain control of the airplane during a go-around. Contributing to the accident was the flight instructor's improper go-around procedures.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 1, 2013 · about 4:37 pm local time
- Place
- Deer Valley, Arizona · Phoenix Deer Valley · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172S, built 2003 · all 172Ss on the register
- Registration
- N2134M · registry record · serial 172S9552
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During a practice touch-and-go landing, the student pilot did not properly maintain runway alignment during the landing flare. The flight instructor took control of the airplane as the wheels touched down on the runway, and attempted a go-around. However, during the go-around, the flight instructor did not retract the flaps to 20 degrees, which the normal procedures require. Subsequently the airplane bounced, landed in an open area adjacent to the runway, and came to rest upright. During the accident sequence, the airplane sustained substantial damage to the wings and horizontal stabilizer. The flight instructor reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
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
What happened, in order
- Attempted remediation/recovery during landing (flare/touchdown)
- Attempted remediation/recovery during landing (aborted after touchdown)
- Runway excursion during landing defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Landing flare › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Student pilot
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Delayed action › Instructor/check pilot
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Instructor/check pilot
- factor Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Use of policy/procedure › Instructor/check pilot
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot, private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 465.5 hours in all; 333.1 in this make and model; 99.5 in the last 90 days; 60.5 in the last 30 days; 306 as pilot in command; 80 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 26.2 hours in all; 26.2 in this make and model; 26.2 in the last 90 days; 17.7 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 7,853 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, August 8, 2013
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-L2A (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Westwind Aviation INC
The flight
- Departed from: DVT Deer Valley AZ at 4:00 pm
- Destination: DVT Deer Valley AZ
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 07L, 4,499 ft by 75 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 90°F (32°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.89 inHg
- Observation at 4:53 pm from DVT
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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 N2134M 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.