Cessna 172 accident near Red Rock, Arizona, May 6, 2019
On May 6, 2019, a 1965 Cessna 172, registered N8887U, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute (descent) near Red Rock, Arizona. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A partial loss of engine power for reasons that could not be determined based on the available information.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 6, 2019
- Place
- Red Rock, Arizona · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172 F, built 1965 · all 172s on the register
- Registration
- N8887U · no longer on the register · serial 17252806
- 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, while descending in the single-engine airplane toward the destination airport, the engine lost partial power. He performed a forced landing to a dirt road, during which the airplane contacted a bush, resulting in substantial damage. Postaccident examination of the engine and an engine test run revealed no anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. Atmospheric conditions at the time of the accident were not conducive to the development of carburetor icing. The reason for the partial loss of engine power could not be determined based on the available information.
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 engine power (partial) during enroute (descent) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Not determined › Not determined › (general) › (general) › Unknown/Not determined
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 2,000 hours in all; 90 in this make and model; 75 in the last 90 days; 35 in the last 30 days; 1,260 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: April 18, 2019
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,279 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 4, 2018; 266 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,299 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-300 SER (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: CRQ Carlsbad CA at 9:45 pm
- Destination: AVQ Marana AZ
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 250° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 90°F (32°C), dew point 16°F (-9°C)
- Altimeter: 29.70 inHg
- Observation at 5:55 pm from KMZJ, 13 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
4 documents, released by the NTSB on January 25, 2022. 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 | Record of Phone Conversation (Pilot) | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Summary of Engine Examination | PDF, 7 pages | View Download |
| 4 | Excerpt from FAA Pilot Operating Handbook - Carburetor Icing Probability | PDF, 4 pages | 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.