NTSB LAX92LA044 — 1991-11-11 · LAKE HAVASU, Arizona, United States

Current FAA registration · N8172A

Make / Model: CESSNA 170B
Year of manufacture: 1952 · 39 years old at event
Engine: CONT MOTOR C145 SERIES (145 hp)
Seats / Engines: 4 seats · 1 engine
Last airworthiness date: 19560314
ADS-B equipped: Yes — Mode-S AB25FC

Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).

Aircraft involved

N8172A Cessna 170B None

Probable cause & findings

THE PILOT'S; 1) INADEQUATE PREFLIGHT PREPARATION, 2) FAILURE TO OBTAIN CURRENT NOTAM INFORMATION, AND 3) FAILURE TO OBTAIN A CURRENT ALTIMETER SETTING. FACTORS IN THE ACCIDENT WERE THE DARK NIGHT CONDITION AND THE PILOT ELECTION NOT TO USE THE LANDING LIGHT.

Factual narrative

DURING A NIGHT CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHT TO A NEW AND UNFAMILIAR AIRPORT, THE PILOT UNSUCCESSFULLY ATTEMPTED TO ESTABLISH FLIGHT FOLLOWING AND OBTAIN CURRENT ALTIMENTER SETTINGS. HE FLEW OVER THE AIRPORT AND ENTERED A TRAFFIC PATTERN. DURING THE TRUN FROM BASE TO FINAL APPROACH, WITH THE RUNWAY LIGHTS IN SIGHT, THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH THE TERRAIN ONE AND ONE QUARTER MILES SHORT OF THE RUNWAY. THE PILOT DID NOT TURN ON THE AIRCRAFT LANDING LIGHT. FAA RECORDS INDICATE THE PILOT DID NOT RECEIVE A PREFLIGHT BRIEFING. THE VFR AERONAUTICAL CHART DID NOT SHOW THE NEW AIRPORT. THE OLD AIRPORT ELEVATION IS 483 FT MSL, AND THE NEW AIRPORT IS 780 FT MSL. THE CHART DEPICTING THE NEW AIRPORT BECAME EFFECTIVE 3 DAYS AFTER THE ACCIDENT. FAA PERSONNEL REPORTED THAT A NOTAM IN EFFECT CONTAINED INFORMATION PERTINENT TO THE NEW AIRPORT. AFTER THE ACCIDENT, THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HIS ALTIMETER INDICATED 1,000 FT MSL. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_1991_LAX92LA044.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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