LAX02LA084

NTSB accident investigation · Cessna 172S · Glendale, AZ · February 13, 2002

Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal report
Date
February 13, 2002, 09:17 local (16:17 UTC)
Place
Glendale, AZ
Injuries
4 uninjured
Phase of flight
Landing
Aircraft
N299MECessna 172SN739NSCessna 172N
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Day
Status
Completed · report October 24, 2002
Report
Approved by Office Director
Parties
FAA-WP-FSDO
Case key
54194

From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.

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Probable cause

The pilot of the landing airplane failed to maintain directional control resulting in the on-ground collission.

The pilot of the landing airplane failed to maintain directional control resulting in the on-ground collission.

Sequence of events

NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.

Loss of control - on ground/waterLanding - roll
Directional control - not maintainedPilot in commandCause
Collision between aircraft (other than midair)Landing - roll
Object - aircraft moving on groundFactor
Collision between aircraft (other than midair)Taxi - to takeoff
Evasive maneuver - attemptedPilot in command(cfi)
Object - aircraft moving on groundFactor
Directional control - not maintainedPilot of other aircraftCause

Analysis

A Cessna 172S veered off runway 01 during landing and collided on the ground with a taxiing Cessna 172N. The pilot of the landing 172S completed air work in the local practice area and returned for landing. On his first touch-and-go, the airplane veered to the left, but he regained directional control and took off. On the second touch-and-go, the airplane veered to the left again, but he could not recover. The airplane exited the runway about midfield between a taxiway and the high-speed taxiway. It crossed a gravel area between the runway and a parallel taxiway. The instructor and student in the taxiing 172N were taxiing to runway 01 via taxiway alpha. They saw the landing 172S bounce and veer towards the hangars. They stopped and thought the 172S would pass in front of them. However, the landing 172S turned directly towards them. They tried to turn away, but did not have enough time to avoid the collision. The airplanes converged from opposite directions so that the entire leading edge of the left wing of the landing 172S collided with the entire leading edge of the left wing of the taxiing 172N. The left wing tips contacted the left wing roots of the opposing airplane.

A Cessna 172S veered off runway 01 during landing and collided on the ground with a taxiing Cessna 172N. The pilot of the landing 172S completed air work in the local practice area and returned for landing. On his first touch-and-go, the airplane veered to the left, but he regained directional control and took off. On the second touch-and-go, the airplane veered to the left again, but he could not recover. The airplane exited the runway about midfield between a taxiway and the high-speed taxiway. It crossed a gravel area between the runway and a parallel taxiway. The instructor and student in the taxiing 172N were taxiing to runway 01 via taxiway alpha. They saw the landing 172S bounce and veer towards the hangars. They stopped and thought the 172S would pass in front of them. However, the landing 172S turned directly towards them. They tried to turn away, but did not have enough time to avoid the collision. The airplanes converged from opposite directions so that the entire leading edge of the left wing of the landing 172S collided with the entire leading edge of the left wing of the taxiing 172N. The left wing tips contacted the left wing roots of the opposing airplane.

Factual narrative

On February 13, 2002, at 0917 mountain standard time, a Cessna 172S, N299ME, veered off runway 01 during landing and collided on the ground with a taxiing Cessna 172N, N739NS, at Glendale Municipal Airport, Glendale, Arizona. Glendale Aviation LLC was operating both rental airplanes under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91. The private pilot and one passenger in the landing 172S were not injured; the airplane sustained substantial damage. The certified flight instructor and student pilot in the taxiing 172N were not injured; the airplane sustained substantial damage. The landing 172S departed Glendale on a personal local flight about 0815. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed for either airplane.

The pilot of the landing 172S submitted a written statement. The pilot said he completed air work in the local practice area and returned for landing. On his first touch-and-go, the airplane veered to the left, but he regained directional control and took off. On the second touch-and-go, the airplane veered to the left again, but he could not recover. The airplane exited the runway about midfield between a taxiway and the high-speed taxiway. It crossed a gravel area between the runway and a parallel taxiway.

The instructor and student in the taxiing 172N submitted a written statement. They were taxiing to runway 01 via taxiway alpha. They saw the landing 172S bounce and veer towards the hangars. They stopped and thought the 172S would pass in front of them. However, the landing 172S turned directly towards them. They tried to turn away, but did not have enough time to avoid the collision.

The airplanes converged from opposite directions so that the entire leading edge of the left wing of the landing 172S collided with the entire leading edge of the left wing of the taxiing 172N. The left wing tips contacted the left wing roots of the opposing airplane. Both airplanes sustained substantial damage to the wings and fuselage.

On February 13, 2002, at 0917 mountain standard time, a Cessna 172S, N299ME, veered off runway 01 during landing and collided on the ground with a taxiing Cessna 172N, N739NS, at Glendale Municipal Airport, Glendale, Arizona. Glendale Aviation LLC was operating both rental airplanes under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91. The private pilot and one passenger in the landing 172S were not injured; the airplane sustained substantial damage. The certified flight instructor and student pilot in the taxiing 172N were not injured; the airplane sustained substantial damage. The landing 172S departed Glendale on a personal local flight about 0815. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed for either airplane.

The pilot of the landing 172S submitted a written statement. The pilot said he completed air work in the local practice area and returned for landing. On his first touch-and-go, the airplane veered to the left, but he regained directional control and took off. On the second touch-and-go, the airplane veered to the left again, but he could not recover. The airplane exited the runway about midfield between a taxiway and the high-speed taxiway. It crossed a gravel area between the runway and a parallel taxiway.

The instructor and student in the taxiing 172N submitted a written statement. They were taxiing to runway 01 via taxiway alpha. They saw the landing 172S bounce and veer towards the hangars. They stopped and thought the 172S would pass in front of them. However, the landing 172S turned directly towards them. They tried to turn away, but did not have enough time to avoid the collision.

The airplanes converged from opposite directions so that the entire leading edge of the left wing of the landing 172S collided with the entire leading edge of the left wing of the taxiing 172N. The left wing tips contacted the left wing roots of the opposing airplane. Both airplanes sustained substantial damage to the wings and fuselage.

Aircraft · 2

Registration
N299ME
Reported as
Cessna 172S
Category
Airplane
Serial number
172S8558
Airframe hours
790
Engine
Lycoming IO-360L2A, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
Damage
Substantial damage
Flight
Personal · Part 91
Operator
Glendale Aviation LLC
Registered owner
Desert Wind Aviation
Airworthiness certificate
Standard, Normal
Last inspection
Continuous airworthiness · January 23, 2002 · 8 hours before
Departed
GEU · Glendale
Airport
GEU · Glendale, runway 01, 5,350 × 75 ft, asphalt

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.

Registration
N739NS
Reported as
Cessna 172N
Category
Airplane
Serial number
17270679
Airframe hours
5,683
Engine
Lycoming O-320D2G, 160 horsepower, reciprocating
Damage
Substantial damage
Flight
Instructional · Part 91
Registered owner
Glendale Aviation LLC
Airworthiness certificate
Standard, Normal
Last inspection
100 hour · January 19, 2002 · 44 hours before
Departed
GEU · Glendale, AZ
Airport
GEU · Glendale

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 · 3

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

Role
Pilot, aircraft N299ME
Age
64
Injuries
None
Certificate
Private
Airplane ratings
Single-engine land
Medical
Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
Last flight review
March 2, 2002
Seat
Left
Flight hours
151 total · 17 in this make and model · 41 as pilot in command · 3 in the last 90 days
Role
Flight instructor, aircraft N739NS
Age
36
Injuries
None
Certificate
Commercial
Airplane ratings
Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
Instrument ratings
Airplane
Medical
Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
Last flight review
February 4, 2002
Seat
Right
Flight hours
1,800 total · 600 in this make and model · 1,686 as pilot in command
Role
Student pilot, aircraft N739NS
Age
23
Injuries
None
Certificate
Student
Medical
Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
Seat
Left
Flight hours
32 total · 32 in this make and model

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC) · Day
Wind
0° at 0 knots
Visibility
20 statute miles
Lowest ceiling
None
Temperature
52 °F
Altimeter
30.11 inHg
Observed at
GEU

Docket · 3

The files NTSB released with the investigation on September 11, 2002, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 732 KB in all.

FAA reports on this event · 2

The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.