What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) On August 16, 2009 at 10:24 MDT aircraft N52265, a Cessna 172S serial number 172S10026 crashed while attempting a cross wind landing. According to the pilot winds were fromm 120 at 15 knots with winds strong out of the southeast. He established visual to 17R at 70 knots, 20 degree flaps, and 7 degree left crab. At threshold of 17R eased into left side slip and straightened the aircraft down the runway. At 10 feet above the runway executed a round out and flare. The left wheel touched down normal but prior to the right touching down the aircraft weather vaned pointing towards the left edge of the runway. The pilot applied right rudder pressure and the plane flipped tail first onto its back. The aircraft sustained substantial damage to the left wing and spar, rudder, both elevators, propeller, and twisting of the fuselage.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) ON AUGUST 16, 2009 AT 10:24 MDT AIRCRAFT N52265, A CESSNA 172S SERIAL NUMBER 172S10026 CRASHED WHILE ATTEMPTING A CROSS WIND LANDING. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT WINDS WERE FROMM 120 AT 15 KNOTS WITH WINDS STRONG OUT OF THE SOUTHEAST. HE ESTABLISHED VISUAL TO 17R AT 70 KNOTS, 20 DEGREE FLAPS, AND 7 DEGREE LEFT CRAB. AT THRESHOLD OF 17R EASED INTO LEFT SIDE SLIP AND STRAIGHTENED THE AIRCRAFT DOWN THE RUNWAY. AT 10 FEET ABOVE THE RUNWAY EXECUTED A ROUND OUT AND FLARE. THE LEFT WHEEL TOUCHED DOWN NORMAL BUT PRIOR TO THE RIGHT TOUCHING DOWN THE AIRCRAFT WEATHER VANED POINTING TOWARDS THE LEFT EDGE OF THE RUNWAY. THE PILOT APPLIED RIGHT RUDDER PRESSURE AND THE PLANE FLIPPED TAIL FIRST ONTO ITS BACK. THE AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE LEFT WING AND SPAR, RUDDER, BOTH ELEVATORS, PROPELLER, AND TWISTING OF THE FUSELAGE.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.