- Date
- February 23, 2018, 10:15 local (17:15 UTC)
- Place
- Show Low, AZ
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N5147NCessna 172
- Defining event
- Landing-landing roll: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 14, 2018
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20180223003069A
- Case key
- 96789
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 flight instructor’s failure to maintain directional control during the landing roll in gusting crosswind and tailwind conditions.
Findings · 5
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 flight instructor reported that, during approach in a gusting crosswind, he took the flight controls from the student pilot about 500 to 700 ft above ground level. He added that, during the landing roll while decelerating, a wind gust lifted the back of the airplane "from the rear right to the front left, forcing the front wheel onto the ground and lifting the plane onto the left main" landing gear. He applied full left rudder and right aileron to correct, but when it did not improve the situation, he "relaxed the controls slightly back towards neutral." Subsequently, the airplane exited the runway to the right and came to rest inverted. The airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings and the fuselage and empennage. The flight instructor reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The automated weather observation station located on the airport reported that, at the time of the accident, the wind was from 210° at 26 knots, gusting to 32 knots. The airplane landed on runway 06.
Factual narrative
The flight instructor reported that, during approach in a gusting crosswind, he took the flight controls from the student pilot at about 500-700 ft. above ground level. He added that, during the landing roll while decelerating, a wind gust lifted up the back of the airplane "from the rear right to the front left forcing the front wheel onto the ground and lifting the plane onto the left main" landing gear. He applied full left rudder and right aileron to correct, but when it did not improve the situation he "relaxed the controls slightly back towards neutral". Subsequently, the airplane exited the runway to the right and came to rest inverted. The airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings, fuselage, and empennage. The flight instructor 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, at the time of the accident, the wind was from 210° at 26 knots, gusting 32 knots. The airplane landed on runway 06.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N5147N
- Reported as
- Cessna 172 (M)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 17261417
- Built
- 1973
- Airframe hours
- 9,442.6
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-E2D, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Operator
- Canyon State Aero LLC
- Registered owner
- Robert C. Mace Jr
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal; Standard, Utility
- Last inspection
- Annual · March 28, 2017
- Departed
- FFZ · Mesa, AZ
- Destination
- SOW · Show Low, AZ
- Airport
- SOW · Show Low Rgnl, runway 06, 7,200 × 100 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- None
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 · 2
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Flight instructor
- Age
- 28
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Commercial, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- February 8, 2018
- Seat
- Right
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 803 total · 533 in this make and model · 750 as pilot in command · 65 in the last 90 days · 31 in the last 30 days · 5 in the last 24 hours
- Role
- Student pilot
- Injuries
- None
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 3-point
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 210° at 26 knots, gusting 32
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 36 °F, dew point 12 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- KSOW
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on April 11, 2018, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 4.4 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 N5147N · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.