# NTSB LAX99LA258: Cessna 172N, N5535D, Prescott, AZ, July 25, 1999 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: July 25, 1999, 07:19 local (14:19 UTC) - Place: Prescott, AZ - Coordinates: 34.619464, -112.419403 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=34.6195&lon=-112.4194&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report August 14, 2001 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 46945 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=LAX99LA258 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/46945/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX99LA258 ## Probable cause the student pilot's premature retraction of the flaps during an aborted landing and his failure to obtain/maintain adequate flying airspeed, which resulted in a stall/mush condition and the airplane settling back onto the ground. The student pilot's failure to maintain directional control during the subsequent ground roll was also causal. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of control - in flight, landing - aborted - weather condition - crosswind - proper alignment - not maintained, pilot in command - aborted landing - attempted, pilot in command - raising of flaps - premature, pilot in command (cause) - airspeed - not obtained/maintained, pilot in command (cause) - stall/mush - encountered, pilot in command - Loss of control - on ground/water, landing - roll - directional control - not maintained, pilot in command (cause) - ground loop/swerve - uncontrolled, pilot in command (cause) ## Analysis While landing in a crosswind, the aircraft was unexpectedly blown toward the right side of the runway. At the time, the airplane was in a left wing low, forward slip, with full flaps at a landing airspeed. The left main gear touched down first and the aircraft yawed left and ran off the side of the runway. The pilot said he had not been quick enough in applying rudder to maintain runway alignment and he decided to go around. He added power and raised the flaps but was unable to sufficiently maintain flying speed once the airplane lifted off the ground. He tried to accelerate in ground effect but the aircraft landed hard off the side of the runway and bounced. He felt he had lost control and abruptly closed the throttle and applied the brakes. The airplane then ground looped to a stop in the grass area off the side of the runway. ## Factual narrative On July 25, 1999, at 0719 hours mountain standard time, a Cessna 172N, N5535D, landed hard during an aborted landing attempt at the Prescott, Arizona, airport. The airplane sustained substantial damage; however, the student pilot was not injured. The instructional flight was operated Aero Vista, of Sedona, Arizona, under the provisions 14 CFR Part 91 when the accident occurred. The flight originated from the Sedona airport at 0645. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed. The pilot reported that he was landing on runway 21L when he was unexpectedly blown off toward the right side of the runway. At the time, the pilot was compensating for a crosswind condition with a left wing low, forward slip attitude with full flaps and a 65-knot approach speed. He said that the left main gear touched down first and the airplane yawed left and ran off the left side of the runway. The student added that he had not been quick enough in applying the correct amount of right rudder to maintain runway alignment so he decided to go around. He added power and raised the flap lever but was unable to sufficiently maintain flying speed as the airplane lifted off the runway. He tried to avoid stalling by trying to remain in ground effect but, in spite of his efforts, the aircraft landed hard off the left side of the runway and bounced. At this point, he said he felt that he had lost control and reacted by abruptly closing the throttle and applying the brakes. The airplane ground looped, drug its left wingtip, and finally came to rest on the grass short of taxiway D2. The wind direction and velocity at the time of the accident were being reported by Prescott air terminal information service (ATIS) as 160 degrees and 6 knots. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N5535D](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N5535D-2000-07-03), registration cancelled 2000-07-03, S/N 17272595 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Cessna 172N - Registry model: [Cessna 172N](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172n) (registry code 2072434) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 17272595 - Airframe hours: 4043 - Engines: Lycoming O-320-H2AD 160 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Registered owner: Fsi LLC - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: 100 hour, May 1, 1999, 75 hours before - Departed: SEZ, SEDONA, AZ - Destination: PRC - Airport: PRC, Ernest A. Love Field, runway 21L, 7,616 × 150 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 46; student; medical: class 3, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: left; flight hours: 72 total, 72 in this make and model, 24 as pilot in command, 9 in the last 90 days, 6 in the last 30 days, 2 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 160° at 6 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 11,000 ft broken - Temperature: 70 °F, dew point 63 °F - Altimeter: 30.00 inHg - Observed at: PRC ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 19990725009599A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19990725009599A), Jul 25, 1999: Cessna 172N, Prescott, AZ, Substantial damage. Check ride, on touchdown on rwy 21L, acft veered off rwy to left in grassy area short of twy D4, causing substantial left wingtip damage. (.19) on July 25,… ## Other investigations on N5535D (1) From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. - [NTSB LAX81DUJ72](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX81DUJ72), Jun 19, 1981: Cessna 172N (N5535D), Page, AZ, substantial damage From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.