Cessna 172M N73405

Summary

On 11 April 1998 at about 21:19 local time, a Cessna 172M registered N73405 was involved in an accident near Scottsdale, Arizona, United States. 3 people were on board and 3 had minor injuries. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

11 April 1998 at 21:19

Classification

Accident

Location

Scottsdale, Arizona, United States

Nearest airport

Scottsdale (SDL)

Coordinates

33.6102, -111.8897

Aircraft

Cessna 172M

Registration

N73405

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Eloy → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

LAX98LA135

3 people had minor injuries.

The pilot's failure to maintain directional control and his inadequate compensation for the wind condition. A contributing factor was the crosswind.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot reported that, after initial touchdown, the airplane bounced back into the air and a strong gust of wind pushed it sideways. He then attempted to go-around but a second gust pushed the airplane toward a steel tower. The pilot then banked the airplane to the right to miss the tower and flew into an unoccupied construction trailer. At the time of landing, the crosswind component for the runway was approximately 19 knots, which is 4 knots above the limit stated by Cessna Aircraft Company for the model 172.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.