- Date
- March 2, 2019, 13:00 local (20:00 UTC)
- Place
- Scottsdale, AZ
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N9404FCessna 172
- Defining event
- Approach-VFR go-around: Loss of control in flight
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report November 6, 2019
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20190302000819A
- Case key
- 99048
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 student pilot's failure to maintain the runway heading during a go-around with a crosswind, which resulted in the left main landing gear impacting a runway sign.
Findings · 2
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 solo student pilot reported that, during the landing roll of a touch-and-go landing, the airplane began to veer off the runway, so he added power for a go-around. During the go-around, he saw that the left main landing (MLG) gear strut was bent and that the tire was "missing." He told the tower controller that he must have hit something and was instructed to fly by the tower. After the flyby, the tower controller confirmed that the left MLG was damaged and cleared the student to land. During the landing roll, the airplane skidded off the runway. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left horizontal stabilizer and left elevator. The student reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The airport's automated weather observation station reported that, about 7 minutes before the accident, the wind was from 320° at 8 knots. The student was landing the airplane on runway 21. Examination of security videos revealed that, during the go-around, the airplane drifted left and that the left MLG struck a runway sign.
Factual narrative
The solo student pilot reported that, during the landing roll of a touch and go landing, the airplane began to veer off the runway, so he added power for a go around. He called the tower controller to inform them of the go around and he observed the left landing gear strut was bent and the tire was "missing." He told the controller that he must have hit something and was instructed to fly by the tower. After the flyby, the tower controller confirmed damage to the left landing gear and cleared him to land. The student landed and, during the landing roll, the airplane skidded off the runway. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left horizontal stabilizer and left elevator. The student pilot 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, about 7 minutes before the accident, the wind was from 320° at 8 knots. The student pilot was landing the airplane on runway 21. Examination of security videos revealed that, during the first landing and go around, the airplane drifted to the left and the left main landing gear struck a runway sign.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N9404F
- Reported as
- Cessna 172 (R)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 17280229
- Built
- 1997
- Airframe hours
- 9,451
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-360-L2A, 160 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Operator
- Southwest Flight Center
- Registered owner
- Longford Aviation Inc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · January 11, 2019
- Departed
- SDL · Scottsdale, AZ
- Destination
- SDL · Scottsdale, AZ
- Flight plan
- Unknown
- Airport
- SDL · Scottsdale, runway 21, 8,249 × 100 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- 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
- Student pilot
- Age
- 36
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Student
- Medical
- Class 1, With waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 9.1 total · 9.1 in this make and model · 0.2 as pilot in command · 9.1 in the last 90 days · 2 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 320° at 8 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 8,000 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 66 °F, dew point 48 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.02 inHg
- Observed at
- KSDL
Docket · 5
The files NTSB released with the investigation on April 17, 2019, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 3.0 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.