- Date
- April 12, 2012, 13:55 local (20:55 UTC)
- Place
- Prescott, AZ
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N17304Cessna 172S
- Defining event
- Landing-flare/touchdown: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 14, 2012
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Western Pacific Region
- Parties
- Scottsdale FSDO
- FAA report
- 20120412004809A
- Case key
- 83423
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 a crosswind during takeoff, which resulted in a loss of directional control.
Findings · 3
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The pilot was practicing touch-and-go takeoffs and landings in a crosswind. The pilot said that the landing was uneventful; however, as the airplane accelerated for takeoff, it veered to the left. Despite the pilot's control inputs, the airplane continued to veer to the left, exited the runway surface, and struck a runway sign. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage, firewall, and empennage. The pilot reported no mechanical anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The pilot was practicing touch-and-go takeoffs and landings in a crosswind. The pilot said the landing was uneventful; however, as the airplane accelerated for takeoff it veered to the left. Despite the pilot's control inputs, the airplane continued to veer to the left, exited the runway surface, and struck a runway sign. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage, firewall, and empennage. The pilot reported no mechanical anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N17304
- Reported as
- Cessna 172S
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 172S10643
- Airframe hours
- 1,863
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-360-L2A, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Operator
- North Aire Aviation LLC
- Registered owner
- North Aire Aviation LLC
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · April 11, 2012
- Departed
- KPRC · Prescott, AZ
- Destination
- KPRC · Prescott, AZ
- Flight plan
- Company VFR
- Airport
- KPRC · Prescott, runway 21L, 7,616 × 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
- 51
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- April 12, 2012
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 111 total · 45 in this make and model · 68 as pilot in command · 34 in the last 90 days · 16 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 220° at 13 knots, gusting 18
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 57 °F, dew point 10 °F
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on May 7, 2012, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 363 KB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N17304 · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.