E.A. Love Field Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Prescott, Arizona
Wednesday, April 5, 1989 17:25 MST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE STUDENT PLT WAS ON HIS 1ST UNSUPERVISED SOLO FLT & WAS MAKING TOUCH-&-GO LANDINGS IN THE LOCAL PATTERN. AFTER THE 2ND LANDING, HE RETRACTED THE FLAPS, APPLIED FULL POWER & MOVED THE CARBURETOR HEAT TO OFF. HE RPRTD THAT AFTER BECOMING AIRBORNE, HE ENCOUNTERED 'HARSH BACK PRESSURE' & TRIED TO TRIM, BUT THE TRIM DID NOT HELP. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE ACFT NOSED DOWN, CONTACTED THE RUNWAY & BEGAN PORPOISING. THE PLT 'PULLED' THE POWER & STOPPED THE ACFT, BUT THE PROP, NOSE GEAR & FIREWALL WERE DAMAGED DRG THE OCCURRENCE. DRG AN INVESTIGATION, THE ELEVATOR TRIM WAS FOUND IN A 'NOSE DOWN'POSITION & THE TRIM TAB WAS FOUND DISPLACED 1.5 INCHES FROM NEUTRAL. NO MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION OR FAILURE WAS REPORTED.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

IMPROPER USE OF THE ELEVATOR FLIGHT CONTROL BY THE PILOT AND HIS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN A PROPER RATE OF CLIMB AFTER LIFT-OFF. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS WERE: IMPROPER USE OF ELEVATOR TRIM BY THE PILOT, HIS LACK OF TOTAL EXPERIENCE, AND AN INADVERTENT PORPOISE.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/5/1989
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1725
Event Time Zone Mountain Standard Time
Event City PRESCOTT
Event State ARIZONA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site
Event Date Year 1989
Event Date Month 4
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport E.A. LOVE FIELD
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
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 Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1714 Mountain Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID PRC
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
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 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) 65
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 27
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -6
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 330
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 5
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) 0
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 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 485
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Apr 6 1989 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 845
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 38985
Date of most recent change to record Dec 18 2002 11:28AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\GIUV
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N248ER
NTSB Number LAX89LA150
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model 172N
Aircraft Series Identifier 172N
Aircraft Serial Number
Certified Max Gross Weight 2400
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 Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection 0
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name EMBRY-RIDDLE AERO. UNIVERSITY
Aircraft Owner Street Address 3200 WILLOW CREEK ROAD
Aircraft Owner City PRESCOTT
Aircraft Owner State AZ
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 86301
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
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 No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1630
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 Takeoff
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:35AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 3
Runway Length 7200
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --