Cessna 172 - R accident near Lake Havasu, Arizona, October 23, 2014
On October 23, 2014 at about 4:00 pm local time, a 2005 Cessna 172 - R, registered N1590W, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Lake Havasu, Arizona (Lake Havasu City Airport). It was a personal 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 pilot's failure to maintain directional control during the landing roll, which resulted in a runway excursion and impact with terrain.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 23, 2014 · about 4:00 pm local time
- Place
- Lake Havasu, Arizona · Lake Havasu City Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172 - R, built 2005 · all 172 - Rs on the register
- Registration
- N1590W · registry record · serial 17281256
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During the landing roll in calm winds, the airplane veered to the right after the pilot depressed the brakes. The airplane subsequently departed the right side of the runway into an area of dirt and rocks. A postaccident examination of the airplane revealed that the firewall had sustained substantial damage. The pilot reported no 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
- Loss of control on ground during landing (landing roll) defining event
- Runway excursion during landing (landing roll)
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Terrain › Rough terrain › Not specified
Pilot
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 125 hours in all; 125 in this make and model; 28 in the last 90 days; 16 in the last 30 days; 5 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,034 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, October 10, 2014; 45 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,450 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-L2A (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Westwind Aviation Inc.
The flight
- Departed from: DVT Phoenix AZ at 2:15 pm
- Destination: HII Lake Havasu AZ
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 32, 8,001 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 68°F (20°C), dew point 39°F (4°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:35 pm from HII
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.
Other NTSB records under N1590W 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.