Yuma International Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Yuma, Arizona 85365
Friday, September 2, 2005 8:30 MST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The airplane stalled on short final and impacted the runway's displaced threshold in a nose low pitch attitude and erupted in flames. The pilot was flying the airplane from the right seat, with a passenger occupying the left seat in order to take some aerial photographs of nearby property. The airplane was on final approach and the pilot was conducting a full-flap landing. He reported that everything was fine, but the airplane began descending too fast. He applied some power to go-around, but the airplane encountered a gust of wind and stalled on short final. Witnesses at the airport observed the airplane on short final. The nose pitched up to a level position about 50 feet above the ground and then nosed down until impact with the ground. The weather observation facility at the airport was reporting the wind at 7 knots down the runway. The airplane was not equipped with shoulder harnesses.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

the pilot's failure to maintain an adequate airspeed on short final, which resulted in an inadvertent stall.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/2/2005
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 830
Event Time Zone Mountain Standard Time
Event City Yuma
Event State ARIZONA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 85365
Event Date Year 2005
Event Date Month 9
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 323923N
Event Location Longitude 1143621W
Event Location Airport Yuma International Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID YUM
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 216
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 856 Mountain Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID YUM
Elevation of weather observation facility 216
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) --
Time Zone of the weather observation MST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 6000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Few
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 34
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 17
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 80
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 7
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29.82
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal 1
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 19762
NTSB Notification Source FAA
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record May 30 2006 1:54PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\JOHB
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Scottsdale, Arizona

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N5070A
NTSB Number LAX05LA286
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire Ground
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Cessna
Aircraft Model 172
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 28070
Certified Max Gross Weight 2200
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class --
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 Oct 1 2004 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 22
Airframe Hours 3013
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated --
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Gilberto Garza
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Yuma
Aircraft Owner State AZ
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 85365
Operator is an individual? No
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? --
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation --
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 No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code YUM
Departure City Yuma
Departure State AZ
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 715
Departure Time Zone PDT
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 Approach - VFR pattern - final approach
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Mar 29 2006 2:51PM
User who most recently changed record COOS
Since inspection or accident Time of Accident
Event Location Runway Number and Location 8
Runway Length 6146
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --