Love Field Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Prescott, Arizona 86301
Wednesday, February 24, 1988 16:40 MST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

DURING THE DUAL PRIMARY CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHT, THE STUDENT WAS MAKING THE APPROACH AND LANDING AT PRESCOTT. THE CFI SAID THAT THE APPROACH AND TOUCHDOWN WERE NORMAL, HOWEVER, THE AIRCRAFT BEGAN DRIFTING TO THE RIGHT IN A GRADUAL TURN AS THE AIRCRAFT SLOWED. THE STUDENT'S CONTROL INPUTS TO CORRECT THE RIGHT TURN WERE UNSUCCESSFUL AND THE AIRCRAFT GROUND LOOPED IN THE SOFT SOIL OFF THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY. THE CFI STATED THAT HE 'PROBABLY WAITED TOO LONG TO TAKE THE AIRCRAFT' FROM THE STUDENT, WHOM HE DESCRIBED AS 'AN EXCELLENT STUDENT.' SUBSEQUENT EXAMINATION OF THE AIRCRAFT BY A REPAIR STATION REVEALED THAT THE TAIL WHEEL STEERING PAWL WAS BROKEN AND WOULD ONLY STEER THE AIRCRAFT TO THE RIGHT AND WOULD NOT ENGAGE TO THE LEFT AT ALL. EXAMINATION OF THE CFI'S LOGBOOK REVEALED THAT HE ONLY HAD ABOUT 150 HOURS AS A CFI. ALL OF THE STUDENT'S FLIGHT TIME WAS ACCRUED IN CESSNA 120 & 180 MODEL AIRCRAFT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 2/24/1988
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1640
Event Time Zone Mountain Standard Time
Event City PRESCOTT
Event State ARIZONA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 86301
Event Date Year 1988
Event Date Month 2
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport LOVE FIELD
Event Location Nearest Airport ID PRC
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 5042
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1650 Mountain Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID PRC
Elevation of weather observation facility 5042
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation MST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 28000
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) 65
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 19
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -7
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 310
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 8
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 6800
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 890
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 36889
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 11:33AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N26AW
NTSB Number LAX88LA115
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model 180A
Aircraft Series Identifier 180A
Aircraft Serial Number 32544
Certified Max Gross Weight 2550
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 Jun 10 1987 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 58
Airframe Hours 5630
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name MARTHA H. WHITMORE
Aircraft Owner Street Address 910 LEE
Aircraft Owner City BORGER
Aircraft Owner State TX
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 79007
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name ALEX P. WHITMORE
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address RT. 1 BOX 688
Operator City JUSTIN
Operator State TX
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 76247
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) Instructional
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code E98
Departure City LOS LUNAS
Departure State NM
Departure Country
Departure Time 1310
Departure Time Zone MST
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code PRC
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
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 3
Runway Length 7608
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --