- Date
- March 22, 2005, 09:15 local (17:15 UTC)
- Place
- Thermal, CA
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N562ABCessna 172S
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report January 31, 2006
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20050322010939A
- Case key
- 61184
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 inadequate compensation for the crosswind conditions and failure to maintain directional control.
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.
Analysis
The airplane nosed over after veering off the runway and colliding with a cement block during a touch-and-go. The student completed five successful touch-and-goes. On the sixth landing, a quartering wind blew the airplane to the left of the runway. The student tried to takeoff, but the airplane veered off the runway. The nose wheel hit a cement block, and the airplane nosed over. No preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures were identified.
Factual narrative
On March 22, 2005, about 0915 Pacific standard time, a Cessna 172S, N562AB, nosed over after veering off the runway and colliding with a cement block at Thermal, California. Palm Springs Flying Club was operating the airplane under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91. The student pilot, the sole occupant, was not injured; the airplane sustained substantial damage. The cross-country instructional flight departed Palm Springs, California, about 0800. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed.
The operator reported that the student pilot flew solo to Thermal to practice touch-and-go takeoffs and landings. The student completed five successful touch-and-goes. On the sixth landing, a quartering wind blew the airplane to the left of the runway. The student tried to takeoff, but the airplane veered off the runway. The nose wheel hit a cement block, and the airplane nosed over. The student exited through the pilot's side door.
The student moved out of the area, and did not submit a statement.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N562AB
- Reported as
- Cessna 172S
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 172S9545
- Airframe hours
- 1,085.4
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-360, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Operator
- The Flight School of Palm Springs
- Registered owner
- Greg Grubb
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · February 1, 2005 · 52.4 hours before
- Departed
- PSP · Palm Springs, CA
- Destination
- TRM · Thermal, CA
- Airport
- TRM · Thermal, runway TRM, 8,500 × 150 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.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Student pilot
- Age
- 52
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Student
- Medical
- Class 3
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 32 total · 32 in this make and model · 5 as pilot in command · 32 in the last 90 days · 15 in the last 30 days · 0 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 280° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 70 °F, dew point 43 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.90 inHg
- Observed at
- TRM
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.