- Date
- March 9, 2007, 12:55 local (17:55 UTC)
- Place
- Norfolk, VA
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N441QFCessna 172R
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report May 29, 2007
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- FAA/FSDO
- FAA report
- 20070309003189A
- Case key
- 65416
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 directional control while landing, which resulted in a collision with a runway sign. A factor was the crosswind.
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 of a Cessna 172R was landing on runway 5, a 9,001-foot-long, 150-foot-wide, asphalt runway. On short final approach, the pilot performed a sideslip to correct for the crosswind. Upon landing, the airplane felt unbalanced and began to veer to the right. The pilot tried to correct with rudder, but the airplane departed the right side of the runway and struck a runway sign. The recorded winds about the time of the accident were from 120 degrees at 8 knots. Examination of the airplane did not reveal any preimpact mechanical malfunctions, nor did the pilot report any.
Factual narrative
The pilot of a Cessna 172R was landing on runway 5, a 9,001-foot-long, 150-foot-wide, asphalt runway. The pilot stated that the winds were unfavorable, blowing from 110 degrees at 7 knots. On short final approach, the pilot performed a sideslip maneuver to correct for the crosswind. Upon landing, the airplane felt unbalanced and began to veer to the right. The pilot tried to correct with rudder, but the airplane departed the right side of the runway and struck a runway sign. The right main landing gear separated, and the airplane came to rest upright in a grass area off the right side of the runway. The recorded winds about the time of the accident were from 120 degrees at 8 knots. Examination of the airplane did not reveal any preimpact mechanical malfunctions, nor did the pilot report any.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N441QF
- Reported as
- Cessna 172R
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 17280278
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-360, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Academy of Aviation
- Registered owner
- Christiansen Aviation Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- FRG · Farmingdale, NY
- Destination
- ORF · Norfolk, VA
- Flight plan
- IFR
- Airport
- ORF · Norfolk International Airport, runway 5, 9,001 × 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
- Pilot
- Age
- 30
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3
- Flight hours
- 239 total · 213 in this make and model · 183 as pilot in command · 43 in the last 90 days · 13 in the last 30 days · 0 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 120° at 8 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 46 °F, dew point 30 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.45 inHg
- Observed at
- ORF
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.