On September 10, 1992, a Cessna 172N (registration N734UT) operated by Richard Glazar was involved in an aviation accident near Stanfield, AZ. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The certified flight instructor's misjudgment of altitude during a circling approach for a simulated engine-out emergency landing. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive; 1 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.
A certified flight instructor misjudged altitude during a simulated engine-out landing on a dirt airstrip, causing the left wing to strike the ground.
What happened
During a local training flight, the certified flight instructor (CFI) decided to demonstrate a simulated engine-out emergency landing procedure. The intended destination was a privately owned dirt airstrip. As the aircraft approached the field, it was determined that the altitude was too high to execute a straight-in approach. Consequently, the CFI initiated a left circling turn to align with the runway.
While maneuvering during this turn onto the final approach course, the CFI misjudged the aircraft's altitude relative to the ground. The left wing struck the terrain before the aircraft could establish a safe landing configuration.
Probable cause
The certified flight instructor's misjudgment of altitude during a circling approach for a simulated engine-out emergency landing.
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