# NTSB WPR15CA069: Cessna 172M, N12915, Obyan, November 24, 2014 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report - Date: November 24, 2014 - Place: Obyan - Coordinates: 15.120277, 145.729995 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=15.1203&lon=145.7300&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Landing-flare/touchdown: Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report February 11, 2015 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Western Pacific Region - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 90528 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=WPR15CA069 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/90528/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=90528 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR15CA069 ## Probable cause The student pilot's loss of airplane control during the landing flare in gusting wind conditions. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Performance/control parameters: directional control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 172M, 59 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020/cases.md?model=2072418), [All aircraft, 3,958 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020/cases.md) - [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Student/instructed pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 172M, 123 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=2072418), [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md) - [Wind: gusts](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034045): Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Contributed to outcome; cases with it: [Cessna 172M, 26 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034045/cases.md?model=2072418), [All aircraft, 1,199 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034045/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Landing-flare/touchdown: Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240) (defining event); cases with it: [Cessna 172M, 47 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence.md?model=2072418), [All aircraft, 5,002 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence.md) - [Landing-flare/touchdown: Abnormal runway contact](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/090); cases with it: [Cessna 172M, 30 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/090/sequence.md?model=2072418), [All aircraft, 1,506 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/090/sequence.md) - [Landing-landing roll: Runway excursion](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300); cases with it: [Cessna 172M, 51 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300/sequence.md?model=2072418), [All aircraft, 3,643 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300/sequence.md) ## Analysis The student pilot was flying the first leg of a solo cross-country flight. The departure was uneventful, and she requested a stop-and-go landing with air traffic controllers as she approached the first destination. She received the clearance and began to initiate the descent while extending the flaps. During the landing flare the airplane encountered a gust of wind, and she applied forward elevator pressure. The nosewheel struck the ground hard and she attempted to perform a go-around, but the airplane departed to the right of the runway and came to rest in a grass area. The nose gear was bent aft during the initial ground strike, and the airplane sustained substantial damage to the firewall and forward fuselage. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation. ## Factual narrative The student pilot was flying the first leg of a solo cross-country flight. The departure was uneventful, and she requested a stop-and-go landing with air traffic controllers as she approached the first destination. She received the clearance and began to initiate the descent while extending the flaps. During the landing flare the airplane encountered a gust of wind, and she applied forward elevator pressure. The nosewheel struck the ground hard and she attempted to perform a go-around, but the airplane departed to the right of the runway and came to rest in a grass area. The nose gear was bent aft during the initial ground strike, and the airplane sustained substantial damage to the firewall and forward fuselage. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N12915](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N12915-2025-11-29), registration cancelled 2025-11-29, S/N 17262368, built 1973 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: CESSNA 172M - Registry model: [Cessna 172M](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172m) (registry code 2072418) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-320 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (registry code 41508, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 17262368 - Year built: 1973 - Airframe hours: 11212 - Engines: LYCOMING O-320 SERIES 150 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Operator: Micronesian Aviation Systems Inc - Registered owner: Micronesian Aviation Systems Inc - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: 100 hour, November 21, 2014, 11 hours before - Departed: GUM, AGANA - Destination: GSN, Obyan - Flight plan: VFR - Airport: GSN, Francisco C. Ada/Saipan Intl, runway 07, 8,700 × 200 ft, asphalt - Equipment: Stall warning system ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Student pilot; age 45; injuries: none; student; medical: class 3, without waivers/limitations; last flight review November 24, 2014; seat: left; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 76 total, 12 in this make and model, 38 in the last 90 days, 19 in the last 30 days, 7 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 100° at 14 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 81 °F, dew point 77 °F - Altimeter: 29.92 inHg - Observed at: PGSN ## 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 20141124022719A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20141124022719A), Nov 24, 2014: Cessna 172M, Saipan Airport, CM, Substantial damage. Student pilot on her second VFR solo cross country flight, flew from guam international airport (pgum) to Francisco c. ada / Saipan international airport… ## Docket (3 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on February 9, 2015, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=90528. 1.1 MB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 906 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40422340&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.PDF - Photo 1 - Airplane Damage (item 2, .PDF, 95 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40422342&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%201%20-%20Airplane%20Damage-Master.PDF - Photo 2 - Airplane Damage (item 3, .PDF, 117 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40422344&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%202%20-%20Airplane%20Damage-Master.PDF 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.