- Date
- October 9, 1995, 14:17 local (21:17 UTC)
- Place
- Tucson, AZ
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N260ERCessna 172N
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report April 29, 1996
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19951009031269A
- Case key
- 29305
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 inadequate compensation for the existing tailwind conditions, improper flare, 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 pilot landed with a 9-knot tailwind. The aircraft touched down hard and bounced left. The pilot lost directional control, entered a sod area adjacent to the runway, then collided with airport directional signs.
Factual narrative
On October 9, 1995, at 1417 mountain standard time, a Cessna 172N, N260ER, collided with ground airport signs following a loss of directional control while landing at the Tucson, Arizona, International Airport. The aircraft was owned Embry Riddle Aeronautical University of Daytona Beach, Florida, and operated by Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University at Prescott, Arizona, and was on a solo cross-country instructional flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and a VFR flight plan was filed. The aircraft incurred substantial damage. The certificated private pilot, the sole occupant, was not injured. The flight originated at Prescott at 1230 on the day of the accident, as a closed circuit cross-country flight to Tucson and return.
According to information from the Air Traffic Control Tower, the aircraft landed on runway 11R hard, bounced left, and entered a sod area adjacent to the runway. The airplane then collided with airport runway/taxiway directional signs and came to rest facing northeast. The 1428 special observation reported winds from 300 at 9 knots.
The pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures prior to the accident. He stated "while on final, they changed me to 11R, ATIS was reporting winds from 103 at 9 knots." He further stated that while flaring he "drifted a bit off centerline" and the airplane suddenly turned left, exited the runway, and collided with a runway marker sign.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N260ER
- Reported as
- Cessna 172N
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 17270223
- Airframe hours
- 9,440
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360-A4N, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Embry Riddle Aero University
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- AAIP · October 5, 1995 · 11 hours before
- Departed
- PRC · Prescott, AZ
- Destination
- TUS
- Flight plan
- VFR
- Airport
- TUS · Tucson International, runway 11R, 10,994 × 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.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 19
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 66 total · 65 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 300° at 9 knots
- Visibility
- 50 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 95 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- TUS
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.