Cessna 172 N1079M

Summary

On 16 July 2019 at about 17:30 local time, a Cessna 172 registered N1079M, operated by West Air Aviation, was involved in an accident near Grand Canyon, Arizona, United States. 4 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

16 July 2019 at 17:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Grand Canyon, Arizona, United States

Nearest airport

Grand Canyon National Park (GCN)

Coordinates

35.9467, -112.1533

Aircraft

Cessna 172

Registration

N1079M

Category

Airplane

Year built

1971

Engines

1

Operator

West Air Aviation

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Las Vegas → Grand Canyon

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

GAA19CA424

Nobody was injured.

The pilot's failure to maintain lateral control during landing in gusting wind conditions, which resulted in the left wing striking the ground.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot reported that, during approach to land, he corrected for a left crosswind. After crossing the threshold, he reduced power and as the airplane was about to touch down, it "rolled" left, and the left wing struck the runway. He added that the airplane immediately "righted itself" and that he then landed it. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The airport's automated weather observation station reported that, about 36 minutes before the accident, the wind was from 210° at 11 knots, gusting to 19 knots. The same automated station reported that, about 24 minutes after the accident, the wind was from 210° at 17 knots, gusting to 25 knots, with a peak wind reported 3 minutes after the accident from 220° at 27 knots. The pilot landed the airplane on runway 21.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.