# Accident 20010524010799A: Cessna 172S, Cottonwood, AZ, May 24, 2001

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: May 24, 2001, 16:30 local time
- Place: Cottonwood, AZ
- Airport: Cottonwood Airport
- Damage: No damage
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 34.7322° N, 112.0350° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=34.7322&lon=-112.0350&mi=10
- Aircraft: N506ER, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N506ER-2001-08-30) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Cessna 172S (registry code 2072439, https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172s) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA 172S
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB LAX01LA191](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX01LA191) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20010524010799A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

(.19)ON MAY 24, 2001, AT 1630 HOURS MOUNTAIN STANDARD TIME A CESSNA 172S, N506ER, COLLIDED WITH TERRAIN DURING A GO-AROUND AT COTTONWOOD, ARIZONA. THE AIRPLANE WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED AND THE CERTIFICATED FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES WHILE HIS CERTIFICATED PRIVATE STUDENT RECEIVED SERIOUS INJURIES. THE AIRPLANE WAS BEING OPERATED AS AN INSTRUCTIONAL FLIGHT BY EMBRY-RIDDLE AERONAUTICAL UNIVERSITY UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF 14 CFR PART 91 WHEN THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED. THE FLIGHT HAD ORIGINATED FROM ERNEST A. LOVE FIELD, PRESCOTT, ARIZONA, AT 1530. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME AND A COMPANY FLIGHT PLAN HAD BEEN FILED. THE INSTRUCTOR REPORTED THAT UPON THEIR ARRIVAL IN THE AIRPORT TRAFFIC AREA, THE STUDENT CALLED THE COTTONWOOD AIRPORT UNICOM FOR A WIND CHECK; HOWEVER, HE HAD RECEIVED NO REPLY. HE ALSO NOTED THAT THE WINDSOCK WAS INDICATING WINDS FROM ABOUT 180 DEGREES ABOUT 8 TO 10 KNOTS. THE FIRST APPROACH, A TOUCH-AND-GO LANDING TO RUNWAY 14, WAS ACCOMPLISHED WITHOUT INCIDENT. ON THE SECOND APPROACH, THE INSTRUCTOR SIMULATED A FORCED LANDING BY RETARDING THE THROTTLE TO IDLE AS THE AIRPLANE PARALLELED THE PLANNED TOUCHDOWN POINT WHILE ON DOWNWIND. THE APPROACH CONTINUED TOWARD FINAL WITH THE STUDENT LOWERING THE FLAPS TO 30 DEGREES. AT TOUCHDOWN, BOTH MAIN GEAR WERE ROLLING ON THE RUNWAY WHEN THE AIRPLANE SUDDENLY ROLLED AND VEERED TO THE LEFT. THE INSTRUCTOR TOOK THE CONTROLS AND ADDED FULL POWER WHILE NOTING THE AIRSPEED INDICATOR WAS READING ABOUT 35 KNOTS. THE INSTRUCTOR WAS ABLE TO CLEAR A ROW OF 10-FOOT TREES ALONG THE LEFT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY, BUT WAS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN A CLIMB SUFFICIENT TO AVOID THE RISING TERRAIN. WHEN HE DETERMINED THAT IMPACT WAS IMMINENT, THE INSTRUCTOR RETARDED THAT THROTTLE TO IDLE. THE LEFT WING CONTACTED THE TERRAIN AND THE AIRPLANE CARTWHEELED BEFORE COMING TO REST.        (-23)DURING LANDING ROLL-OUT RWY 14 AT COTTONWOOD, AZ (P52), PRIVATE PILOT ^PRIVAC^ EXPERIENCED GUSTING CROSSWIND FROM APPROXIMATELY 180 DEGREES.  THE R/H WING RAISED, THE AIRCRAFT YAWED APPROXIMATELY 45 DEGREES LEFT OF RWY HEADING, AND BECAME AIRBORNE.  FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR ^PRIVA^ CALLED FOR AND TOOK CONTROLS APPLYING FULL POWER.  THE ENGINE RESPONDED HOWEVER THE AIRCRAFT WAS UNABLE TO ACHEIVE AIRSPEED AND SUFFICIENT ALTITUDE.  FLAPS SET AT FULL DOWN.  ^PRIVA^ ATTEMPTED TO TURN THE AIRCRAFT TO THE LEFT TO AVOID RISING TE RRAIN LEFT OF THE DEPARTURE END OF RWY 14. THE AIRCRAFT STALL WARNING SOUNDED THROUGHOUT MANUEVERING.  THE LEFT WING TIP IMPACTED THE GROUND APPROXIMATELY 600 FEET FROM THE NORTHEAST AIRPORT BOUNDRY, AND APPROXIMATELY 3000 FEET FROM THE APPROACH END OF RWY 14.  THE AIRCRAFT CARTWHEELED AND CAME TO REST INVERTED IN HEAVY BRUSH AND TREES.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB LAX01LA191](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX01LA191), May 24, 2001: Cessna 172S (N506ER), Cottonwood, AZ, substantial damage. Probable cause: the student's inadequate compensation for the gusty crosswind conditions and the subsequent loss of aircraft control during landing roll. The flight instructor’s inadequate supervision and his…

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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