- Date
- July 16, 2019, 10:30 local (17:30 UTC)
- Place
- Grand Canyon, AZ
- Injuries
- 4 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N1079MCessna 172
- Defining event
- Landing: Loss of control in flight
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 2, 2019
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20190716011859A
- Case key
- 99861
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 lateral control during landing in gusting wind conditions, which resulted in the left wing striking 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 that, during approach to land, he corrected for a left crosswind. After crossing the threshold, he reduced power and as the airplane was about to touch down, it "rolled" left, and the left wing struck the runway. He added that the airplane immediately "righted itself" and that he then landed it. 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. The airport's automated weather observation station reported that, about 36 minutes before the accident, the wind was from 210° at 11 knots, gusting to 19 knots. The same automated station reported that, about 24 minutes after the accident, the wind was from 210° at 17 knots, gusting to 25 knots, with a peak wind reported 3 minutes after the accident from 220° at 27 knots. The pilot landed the airplane on runway 21.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that, during approach to land, he corrected for a left crosswind. After crossing the threshold, he reduced power and as he was about to touch down, the airplane "rolled" to the left and the left wing struck the runway. The airplane immediately "righted itself" and he landed the airplane. He added that the runway strike caused a "minor misalignment" with the airplane. 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. The airport's automated weather observation station reported that, about 36 minutes before the accident, the wind was from 210° at 11 knots, gusting to 19 knots. The same automated station reported that, about 24 minutes after the accident, the wind was from 210° at 17 knots, gusting to 25 knots, with a peak wind reported 3 minutes after the accident from 220° at 27 knots. The pilot landed the airplane on runway 21.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N1079M
- Reported as
- Cessna 172 (L)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 17259802
- Built
- 1971
- Airframe hours
- 14,694
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-E2D, 160 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- West Air Aviation
- Registered owner
- Unique Equipment Leasing Llc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal; Standard, Utility
- Last inspection
- Annual · June 28, 2019
- Departed
- VGT · Las Vegas, NV
- Destination
- GCN · Grand Canyon, AZ
- Flight plan
- VFR
- Airport
- GCN · Grand Canyon National Park, runway 21, 8,999 × 150 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
- Pilot
- Age
- 71
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- August 15, 2018
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 379 total · 143 in this make and model · 287 as pilot in command · 7 in the last 90 days · 4 in the last 30 days · 3 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 210° at 17 knots, gusting 25
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 86 °F, dew point 37 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.22 inHg
- Observed at
- KGCN
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on September 6, 2019, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 5.0 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.
Other investigations on N1079M · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.