- Date
- March 26, 2011, 13:00 local (18:00 UTC)
- Place
- Graham, TX
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N9961ECessna 172N
- Defining event
- Landing-flare/touchdown: Loss of control in flight
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 20, 2011
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Parties
- FAA FSDO
- FAA report
- 20110326005059A
- Case key
- 78701
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 during landing.
Findings · 1
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 stated that as he neared the runway for touchdown, the airplane experienced a left-quartering crosswind that pushed him off the runway. He added that since the wheels had not touched the runway, he added power for a go-around. However, the airplane continued off the right side of the runway and the right main landing gear impacted an airport sign. The airplane subsequently came to rest in an upright position, just off the runway surface. An examination of the airplane by the responding Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed that the airplane’s fuselage right main gearbox and firewall structures were buckled.
Factual narrative
The pilot stated that as he neared the runway for touchdown, the airplane experienced a left-quartering crosswind that pushed him off the runway. Since the wheels had not touched the runway, he added power for a go-around. The airplane continued off the right side of the runway and the right main landing gear impacted an airport sign. The airplane subsequently came to rest in the upright position, just off the runway surface. An examination of the airplane by the responding Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed that the airplane’s fuselage, right main gearbox, and firewall structures were buckled.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N9961E
- Reported as
- Cessna 172N
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 17272300
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320 SERIES, 160 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- KCWC · Wichita Falls, TX
- Destination
- KRPH · Graham, TX
- Flight plan
- VFR
- Airport
- KRPH · Graham Muncipal Airport, runway 21, 5,000 × 75 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
- 45
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- December 20, 2009
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 71 total · 3 in this make and model · 20 as pilot in command · 2 in the last 90 days · 1 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 160° at 4 knots
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 70 °F, dew point 57 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.57 inHg
- Observed at
- KRPH
Docket · 3
The files NTSB released with the investigation on May 9, 2011, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 2.9 MB 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.