Cessna 172 accident near St. Johns, Arizona, September 15, 2018
On September 15, 2018 at about 10:40 pm local time, a 1977 Cessna 172, registered N734FT, was substantially damaged in an accident during initial climb near St. Johns, Arizona (St Johns Industrial Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people were seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's inadequate preflight planning before takeoff in the high density altitude conditions, which resulted in the airplane being unable to maintain sufficient airspeed to continue to climb.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 15, 2018 · about 10:40 pm local time
- Place
- St. Johns, Arizona · St Johns Industrial Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172 N, built 1977 · all 172s on the register
- Registration
- N734FT · no longer on the register · serial 17268826
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that he initially attempted to take off, but the airplane was not accelerating fast enough and he aborted the takeoff. The pilot then decided to take off from a longer runway at the airport. When the airplane was about 100 ft above ground level, he observed that it was not continuing to climb. The pilot-rated passenger/owner stated that the stall warning horn sounded. The airplane began to lose altitude and subsequently collided with a stand of trees. The airplane came to rest inverted and sustained substantial damage to both wings, the forward fuselage, and the empennage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation and that the airplane's weight was about 50 lbs less than its maximum gross takeoff weight. The pilot-rated passenger reported that he thought that the high density altitude was the cause of the accident. The calculated density altitude was about 8,600 ft at the time of the accident. According to the Federal Aviation Administration Koch Chart, given the surrounding temperature and field elevation, the airplane would have likely experienced a 68% decrease in the normal climb rate. Thus, it is likely that the airplane did not have sufficient airspeed to climb in those conditions.
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 in flight during initial climb defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during initial climb
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Aircraft capability › Climb capability › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- cause Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Temp/humidity/pressure › High density altitude › Effect on operation
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Airspeed › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: airship; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 440 hours in all; 59 in this make and model; 10 in the last 90 days; 6 in the last 30 days; 332 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: October 26, 2017
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: serious injuries
Co-pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 547 hours in all; 480 in this make and model; 6 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 547 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: December 8, 2017
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, December 1, 2017; 20 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,299 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 SERIES (piston); 1,495 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SJN St. Johns AZ at 10:40 pm
- Destination: GYR Goodyear AZ
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 14, 5,322 ft by 75 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 37°F (3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.10 inHg
- Observation at 10:54 pm from SJN, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
5 documents, released by the NTSB on January 21, 2020. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Meteorology | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Records of Conversations | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 4 | FAA Koch Density Altitude Chart | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 5 | Release of Aircraft Wreckage, NTSB Form 6120.15 | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.