# NTSB WPR22LA147: Cessna 172N, N733EJ, Tuscon, AZ, April 6, 2022 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report - Date: April 6, 2022, 14:45 local (21:45 UTC) - Place: Tuscon, AZ · Airport - Coordinates: 32.142211, -111.17457 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=32.1422&lon=-111.1746&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Landing-flare/touchdown: Loss of control on ground](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed - Report: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish - NTSB office: Western Pacific Region - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration - NTSB case key (mKey): 104911 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=WPR22LA147 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/104911/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=104911 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR22LA147 ## Probable cause The loss of directional control during the landing roll, due to missing hardware which resulted in the separation of the nose landing gear torque links. ## 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 172N, 82 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020/cases.md?model=2072434), [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 · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 172N, 150 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=2072434), [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md) - [Misc hardware: fasteners](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071430): Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware · Incorrect service/maintenance (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 172N, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071430/cases.md?model=2072434), [All aircraft, 58 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071430/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 on ground](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230) (defining event); cases with it: [Cessna 172N, 81 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230/sequence.md?model=2072434), [All aircraft, 4,585 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot of the airplane reported that, during the landing roll the airplane veered left unexpectedly. The pilot applied corrective action with rudder input, but the airplane continued to veer left, exited the left side of the runway, impacted a ditch, and nosed over. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right-wing lift strut, vertical stabilizer and rudder. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed that, the bolt, spacer, nut and cotter pin connecting the upper torque link and the lower torque link was missing and not observed with the wreckage. It further revealed that the upper and lower torque links were not damaged. Damage to the nose gear and the right main gear was consistent with impact damage when the airplane exited the runway and impacted a ditch. A review of the airplane maintenance records did not reveal any recent maintenance conducted on the nose landing gear torque links. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N733EJ](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N733EJ), registered now, S/N 17268235, built 1976 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: CESSNA 172N - Registry model: [Cessna 172N](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172n) (registry code 2072434) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-320 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (registry code 41508, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 17268235 - Year built: 1976 - Engines: Lycoming O-320 160 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Operator: Pacific Contractors LLC - Registered owner: Pacific Contractors LLC - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal; Standard, Utility - Last inspection: Annual, March 17, 2022 - Departed: KAVQ, Marana, AZ - Destination: E60, Eloy, AZ - Airport: RYN, Ryan Field Airport, runway 33, 4,010 × 75 ft, asphalt - Equipment: Handheld GPS, ADS-B ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 70; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, with waivers/limitations; last flight review January 27, 2022; seat: left; restraint: 4-point; flight hours: 3,100 total, 1,000 in this make and model, 2,946 as pilot in command, 48 in the last 90 days, 40 in the last 30 days, 1.3 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 310° at 10 knots, gusting 17 - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 88 °F, dew point 23 °F - Altimeter: 30.00 inHg - Observed at: KRYN, 1 nm away - METAR: KRYN 062147Z 31010G17KT 10SM CLR 31/M05 A3000 ## 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 20220406005469A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20220406005469A), Apr 6, 2022: Cessna 172N, Tucson, AZ, Substantial damage. N733EJ was cleared for a touch and go on rwy 33 at Ryan. At midfield with all whells on the runway the aircraft veered left off the runway and flipped over… ## Docket (3 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on June 30, 2022, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=104911. 20.3 MB in all. - Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 9 pages, 18.8 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=13710782&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=NTSB%206120%20pilot_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Record of e-mail correspondence (FAA) (item 2, PDF, 4 pages, 1.1 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=13810414&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Record%20of%20e-mail%20correspondence%20(FAA)-Rel.pdf - Damage photos (item 3, PDF, 2 pages, 384 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=13810057&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Damage%20Photos-Rel.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.