# NTSB WPR23LA135: Cessna 172M, N92570, Skull Valley, AZ, January 21, 2023

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report
- Date: January 21, 2023, 15:30 local (22:30 UTC)
- Place: Skull Valley, AZ
- Coordinates: 34.508913, -112.67989 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=34.5089&lon=-112.6799&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Landing: 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: FAA Scottsdale FSDO
- NTSB case key (mKey): 106922
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=WPR23LA135
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/106922/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=106922
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR23LA135

## Probable cause

The pilot’s failure to maintain directional control of the airplane while landing in a crosswind.

## Findings

NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause.

- [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · 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)
- [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)

## Sequence of events

The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened.

- [Landing: Loss of control on ground](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230) (defining event); cases with it: [Cessna 172M, 61 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230/sequence.md?model=2072418), [All aircraft, 4,585 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230/sequence.md)
- [Landing: Other weather encounter](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/400); cases with it: [Cessna 172M, 20 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/400/sequence.md?model=2072418), [All aircraft, 1,127 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/400/sequence.md)

## Analysis

The pilot stated that he encountered a crosswind from the left during a landing attempt and the airplane drifted right. The right wing impacted tree branches that resulted in a loss of directional control. The airplane then collided with an adjacent bush, which resulted in substantial damage to the left wing. The pilot reported that there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures of the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N92570](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N92570), registered now, S/N 17261586, 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: 17261586
- Year built: 1973
- Airframe hours: 4006.47
- Engines: Lycoming O320E2D 150 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: Annual, November 1, 2023, 9.99 hours before
- Destination: Same as departure
- Airport: 16AZ, Yav'PE MA'Ta Airport, runway 02, 2,900 × 75 ft, gravel
- Equipment: Handheld GPS, Stall warning system

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 73; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: basicmed, without waivers/limitations; last flight review January 15, 2021; seat: left; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 1,137.4 total, 1,070.6 in this make and model, 1,137.4 as pilot in command, 12.2 in the last 90 days, 5.2 in the last 30 days

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 190° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 2 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: 800 ft overcast
- Temperature: 34 °F, dew point 34 °F
- Observed at: KPRC, 15 nm away
- METAR: SPECI KPRC 012237Z 19006KT 2SM -SN BR OVC008 01/01

## 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 20230121001659A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20230121001659A), Jan 21, 2023: Cessna 172M, Skull Valley, AZ, Substantial damage. On January 21, 2023, at 1530 MST, [privacy data omitted], a Cessna model 172M, single engine aircraft, [privacy data omitted], was on a local flight at 16AZ…

## Docket (2 files)

The files NTSB released with the investigation on August 17, 2023, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=106922. 4.4 MB in all.

- Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 11 pages, 4.0 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=15834217&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=6120%20N92570_Redacted-Rel.pdf
- Photos (item 2, PDF, 1 page, 371 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=15832664&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Accident%20Photograph%20N92570-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.

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