Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Buckeye, Arizona 85326
Saturday, March 16, 1991 16:00 MST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE TWO PILOTS RETURNED TO THE AREA WHERE THEY HAD PREVIOUSLY OBTAINED THEIR PILOT TRAINING AND RENTED THE CESSNA 172RG TO REVISIT THE TRAINING AREAS. THE AIRPLANE'S WRECKAGE WAS FOUND IN A SEMI-REMOTE AREA, STREWN OVER A HALF MILE. EXAMINATION OF THE WRECAKAGE DISCLOSED THE LEFT WING'S WING-TO-FUSELAGE ATTACH FITTING SEPARATED IN AN UPWARD DIRECTION. THE FRACTURE SURFACES DISPLAYED POSITIVE OVERLOAD CHARACTERISTICS. THE UPPER CABIN SECTION AND RIGHT WING BROKE UP AFTER BEING STRUCK BY THE LEFT WING DURING THE INFLIGHT BREAKUP. WEATHER STUDIES REVEALED THAT VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED. THE AIRPLANE IS NOT CERTIFICATED FOR AEROBATIC FLIGHT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT OF THE AIRPLANE EXCEEDING THE CERTIFICATED NEVER EXCEED VELOCITY. THE OVERLOADING OF THE WING ATTACHMENT FITTINGS WHILE MANEUVERING WAS A FACTOR IN THE ACCIDENT.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 3/16/1991
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1600
Event Time Zone Mountain Standard Time
Event City BUCKEYE
Event State ARIZONA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 85326
Event Date Year 1991
Event Date Month 3
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 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1130 Mountain Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 79
Weather Observation Facility ID BXK
Elevation of weather observation facility 1024
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 25
Time Zone of the weather observation MST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 50
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
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 2
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1788
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 45666
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 9:32AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Unknown
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N6439
NTSB Number LAX91FA134
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model 172RG
Aircraft Series Identifier 172RG
Aircraft Serial Number 172RG0700
Certified Max Gross Weight 2650
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 Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Oct 26 1990 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 95
Airframe Hours 3157
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name ATLAN, GEORGES
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1212 STANFORD AVE.
Aircraft Owner City LOS ANGELES
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 90021
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name CALIFORNIA AVIATION
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 6841 GLEN HORBOR BLVD
Operator City GLENDALE
Operator State AZ
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 25307
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
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) Personal
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code GEU
Departure City GLENDALE
Departure State AZ
Departure Country
Departure Time 900
Departure Time Zone MST
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Maneuvering
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:30AM
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 --