- Date
- November 22, 2015, 13:00 local (19:00 UTC)
- Place
- Covington, TN
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N5786RCessna 172
- Defining event
- Landing-landing roll: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report March 14, 2016
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20151122021399A
- Case key
- 92627
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 loss of directional control during the landing roll in crosswind conditions, which resulted in a runway excursion, ground loop, and impact with the ground.
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 reported the airplane "landed smoothly on the centerline", but during the landing roll, the wind shifted to a 90 degree right crosswind. The pilot applied crosswind correction and brakes, but the airplane veered to the right, exited the runway, ground looped, and the right wing impacted the ground. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing and aileron, and left horizontal stabilizer and elevator. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported the airplane "landed smoothly on the centerline", but during the landing roll, the wind shifted to a 90 degree right crosswind. The pilot applied crosswind correction and brakes, but the airplane veered to the right, exited the runway, ground looped, and the right wing impacted the ground. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing and aileron, and left horizontal stabilizer and elevator. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N5786R
- Reported as
- Cessna 172 (G)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 17253455
- Built
- 1966
- Airframe hours
- 3,386
- Engine
- Continental Motors O-300D, 145 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · November 1, 2015
- Departed
- M19 · Newport, AR
- Destination
- M04 · Covington, TN
- Airport
- M04 · Covington Muni, runway 01, 5,004 × 100 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- Handheld GPS, Stall warning system
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
- 32
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- July 1, 2013
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- Lap only
- Flight hours
- 276 total · 130 in this make and model · 236 as pilot in command · 6.5 in the last 90 days · 4.5 in the last 30 days · 3.5 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 30° at 9 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 43 °F, dew point 10 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.27 inHg
- Observed at
- KNQA, 20 nm away
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on February 29, 2016, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 2.5 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.
Other investigations on N5786R · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.