- Date
- July 2, 2017, 13:30 local (20:30 UTC)
- Place
- Tucson, AZ
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N4482LCessna 172
- Defining event
- Landing: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 7, 2017
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20170702008809A
- Case key
- 95488
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 pitch and yaw control during the landing roll in crosswind conditions.
Findings · 4
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 that, during the landing roll, the airplane pitched up and yawed to the right because of a "dust devil." He added that he applied full power but was unable to maintain level flight and that the right wing then the left wing struck the runway. The airplane touched down, the nose landing gear collapsed, and the airplane slid about 60 to 70 ft. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. A review of recorded data from the automated weather observation station located on the airport reported that, about 40 minutes before the accident, the wind was from 300° at 9 knots, gusting to 16 knots. The same automated weather observation station reported that, about 15 minutes after the accident, the wind was from 220° at 9 knots. The airplane landed on runway 24R.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that, during the landing roll, the airplane pitched up and yawed to the right because of a "dust devil". He added that he applied full power, but was unable to maintain level flight, and the right wing then the left wing struck the runway. The airplane touched down, collapsing the nose landing gear, and the airplane slid about 60 to 70 ft. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. A review of recorded data from the automated weather observation station, located on the airport, reported that about 40 minutes before the accident the wind was from 300° at 9 knots, gusting 16 knots. The same automated weather observation station reported that about 15 minutes after the accident the wind was from 220° at 9 knots. The airplane landed on runway 24R.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N4482L
- Reported as
- Cessna 172 (G)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 17254577
- Built
- 1966
- Airframe hours
- 3,609.37
- Engine
- Cont Motor O-300 SER, 145 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · December 31, 2016
- Departed
- RYN · Tucson, AZ
- Destination
- RYN · Tucson, AZ
- Airport
- RYN · Ryan Field, runway 24R, 4,900 × 75 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- Stall warning system, Handheld GPS, Electronic flight bag or handheld device
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
- 64
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- October 27, 2016
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 339 total · 339 in this make and model · 339 as pilot in command · 25 in the last 90 days · 15 in the last 30 days · 3 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 220° at 9 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 102 °F, dew point 43 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.03 inHg
- Observed at
- KRYN
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on August 15, 2017, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 928 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.