- Date
- August 16, 2009, 10:25 local (16:25 UTC)
- Place
- Centennial, CO
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N22265Cessna 172
- Defining event
- Landing-flare/touchdown: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report March 3, 2010
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20090816014809A
- Case key
- 74548
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The pilot's failure to maintain directional control of the airplane during the landing flare in crosswind conditions.
Findings · 3
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The pilot implemented crosswind landing procedures to include a left crab angle of approximately seven degrees. While on final approach to land on Runway 17R, the winds were reported as being from 120 degrees at 15 knots. Upon reaching the runway threshold, the pilot transitioned the airplane to a left side slip and aligned with the runway. During the flare, the left main wheel touched the runway and the airplane "weather vaned" to the left. The pilot's corrective measures failed to realign the airplane with the runway heading; the airplane flipped inverted and came to rest upside down on the runway, resulting in substantial damage. A special automated weather observation report, taken near the time of the accident, reported the winds as being from 140 degrees at 13 knots, gusting to 20 knots. No mechanical anomalies were reported with the airplane.
Factual narrative
The pilot implemented crosswind landing procedures to include a left crab angle of approximately seven degrees. While on final approach to land on runway 17R, the winds were reported as 120 degrees at 15 knots. Upon reaching the runway threshold, the pilot transitioned the airplane to a left side slip and aligned with the runway. During the flare, the left main wheel touched the runway and the airplane "weather vaned" to the left. Corrective measures failed to realign the airplane with the runway heading. The airplane flipped inverted and came to rest upside down on the runway resulting in substantial damage to the airplane. A special automated weather observation report, taken near the time of the accident, reported the winds at 140 degrees at 13 knots gusting to 20 knots. No mechanical anomalies were reported with the airplane.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N22265
- Reported as
- Cessna 172 (S)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 172S10026
- Airframe hours
- 1,288
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-360, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · July 14, 2009
- Departed
- KCYS · Cheyenne, WY
- Destination
- KAPA · Centennial, CO
- Flight plan
- VFR
- Airport
- KAPA · Centennial Airport, runway 17R, 7,000 × 77 ft, asphalt
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 31
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- January 30, 2009
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 157 total · 146 in this make and model · 81 as pilot in command · 51 in the last 90 days · 21 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 140° at 13 knots, gusting 20
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Temperature
- 66 °F, dew point 37 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.15 inHg
- Observed at
- KAPA
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on November 5, 2009, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 577 KB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.