Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Sedona, Arizona 86336
Thursday, October 7, 1993 20:38 MST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot was returning from a day long charter flight. About 2000 hours, the pilot dropped his passengers in Flagstaff, Arizona, and departed for Sedona, located 21 miles to the south. At a point 13.6 miles south of Flagstaff, the airplane collided with a sheer rock wall about 1,000 feet below the top of the mountainous terrain. Based on weather data and witness statements, low clouds existed in the accident area around the time of the accident. A witness reported seeing the airplane's lights flash on the clouds while the aircraft appeared to be reversing course. The witnesses heard normal engine sounds until the impact. No system discrepancies were noted during the examination of the aircraft. Based on fuel calculations, the airplane had about 5.5 gallons of fuel on board or about 40 minutes of flight time remaining.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

the pilot's decision to continue VFR at an improper altitude into mountainous terrain at night and the inadvertent encounter with clouds along the route. Self-induced pressure due to a low fuel state contributed to the accident.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 10/7/1993
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 2038
Event Time Zone Mountain Standard Time
Event City SEDONA
Event State ARIZONA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 86336
Event Date Year 1993
Event Date Month 10
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 2049 Mountain Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 5
Weather Observation Facility ID FLG
Elevation of weather observation facility 7011
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 21
Time Zone of the weather observation MST
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 4000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 7
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 8
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 6
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 240
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 1
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal 1
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1985
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Oct 8 1993 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1500
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 1:42PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N5365D
NTSB Number LAX94FA007
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model 172N
Aircraft Series Identifier 172N
Aircraft Serial Number 17272548
Certified Max Gross Weight 2300
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Sep 21 1993 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 15
Airframe Hours 4325
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name E. R. MAXSON
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 2909
Aircraft Owner City SEDONA
Aircraft Owner State AZ
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 86336
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name AEROVISION, INC.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address P.O. BOX 2909
Operator City SEDONA
Operator State AZ
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 86336
Operator Code QVRA
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Positioning
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code FLG
Departure City FLAGSTAFF
Departure State AZ
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone MST
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Cruise
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:34AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --