# Accident 20020126001169A: Cessna 172M, Payson, AZ, January 26, 2002

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: January 26, 2002, 09:15 local time
- Place: Payson, AZ
- Airport: Payson Airport
- Damage: No damage
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 34.2614° N, 111.3433° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=34.2614&lon=-111.3433&mi=10
- Aircraft: N5264R, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N5264R-2005-10-25) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Cessna 172M (registry code 2072418, https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172m) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming 0-320 series (registry code 41508, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA 172M
- Fatal injuries: 0
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB LAX02LA070](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX02LA070) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20020126001169A

## Narrative

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

(.19) ON JANUARY 26, 2002, ABOUT 0915 HOURS MOUNTAIN STANDARD TIME, A CESSNA 172M, N5264R, VEERED OFF THE RUNWAY AND NOSED OVER DURING LANDING AT THE PAYSON AIRPORT, PAYSON, ARIZONA. THE AIRPLANE, OPERATED BY AZ CLOUD BUSTERS FLYING CLUB AND RENTED BY THE PILOT UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF 14 CFR PART 91, SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. THE PRIVATE PILOT AND TWO PASSENGERS WERE NOT INJURED; A THIRD PASSENGER SUSTAINED SERIOUS INJURIES. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED FOR THE CROSS-COUNTRY FLIGHT THAT DEPARTED THE STELLAR AIRPARK AIRPORT, CHANDLER, ARIZONA, ABOUT 0845 THE MORNING OF THE ACCIDENT. AN AUTOMATED WEATHER OBSERVATION SYSTEM (AWOS) AT THE AIRPORT REPORTED WEATHER AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT AS WINDS VARIABLE FROM 060 DEGREES TO 140 DEGREES AT 5-6 KNOTS, GUSTING TO 7 KNOTS. THE SAFETY BOARD INVESTIGATOR-IN-CHARGE (IIC) INTERVIEWED THE PILOT. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE MADE A 45-DEGREE ENTRY FOR RUNWAY 24. THE WEATHER WAS CLEAR AND THE WINDS WERE CALM. ON FINAL HE HAD 30 DEGREES OF FLAPS SELECTED AND FLARED OVER THE RUNWAY AT 60 KNOTS FOR TOUCHDOWN. ABOUT 5-10 FEET ABOVE GROUND LEVEL (AGL) THE AIRPLANE ENCOUNTERED A GUST OF WIND FROM THE SOUTH. THE PILOT LOWERED THE NOSE TO A LEVEL FLIGHT POSITION, ADVANCED THE THROTTLE, PUSHED IN THE CARBURETOR HEAT, AND RAISED THE FLAPS IN AN ATTEMPT TO ABORT THE LANDING. HE NOTED THAT THE AIRSPEED INCREASED SLIGHTLY AND THEN THE AIRPLANE "HIT THE GROUND." THE PILOT STATED THAT THE AIRPLANE VEERED OFF THE RUNWAY AND NOSED OVER TO INVERTED AFTER THE NOSE LANDING GEAR SHEARED OFF AND THE STRUT DUG INTO THE GROUND. (-23) AS AIRCRAFT WAS LANDING WITH A SLIGHT QUARTERING TAIL WIND AIRCRAFT WAS HIT BY A STRONG TAILWIND GUST AND AIRCRAFT WAS BLOWN OFF OF RUNWAY. IN AN ATTEMPT TO RECOVER AND EXECUTE A GO AROUND, THE PILOT APPLIED FULL POWER AND COMPLETELY RAISED THE FLAPS. AIRCRAFT STALLED OUT, IMPACTED THE GROUND NOSE FIRST AND FLIPPED OVER ONTO ITS BACK.

## 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 LAX02LA070](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX02LA070), Jan 26, 2002: Cessna 172M (N5264R), Payson, AZ, substantial damage. Probable cause: Failure of the pilot to maintain directional control of the airplane. A contributing factor was the premature raising of the flaps.

## Other reports on N5264R (1)

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

- [Incident 19920318008109I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19920318008109I), Mar 18, 1992: Cessna 172M (N5264R), Phoenix, AZ. Engine quit on downwind. Made a dead stick landing. Both fuel tanks empty. Gauge showed fuel in one tank.

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.

---
OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.