Cessna 172S N480SP

Summary

On 29 March 2012 at about 22:15 local time, a Cessna 172S registered N480SP was involved in an accident near Midlothian, Texas, United States. One person was 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

29 March 2012 at 22:15

Classification

Accident

Location

Midlothian, Texas, United States

Nearest airport

Mid-Way Regional Airport (KJWY)

Coordinates

32.4583, -96.9125

Aircraft

Cessna 172S

Registration

N480SP

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Palo Pinto → Midlothian

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CEN12LA214

Nobody was injured.

The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during the landing roll.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot stated that there was a 5 to 10 knot left crosswind while landing. He reported that he had no difficulty maintaining the runway centerline alignment during the final approach and touchdown. An uneventful touchdown was made on the runway centerline; however, during the landing roll, the airplane began to veer to the left. The pilot stated that despite his increased use of right rudder to regain directional control, the airplane departed the left side of the runway and impacted a ditch. The nose landing gear collapsed when the airplane impacted the ditch. The pilot further noted that he had not experienced any ground-handling difficulties during the two takeoffs and one landing completed earlier that day. A postaccident examination confirmed that the cockpit rudder pedals were operating properly. Additionally, no mechanical anomalies were revealed during a functional test of the brake system. A postaccident review of available wind data indicated that the accident airplane likely landed in a left quartering crosswind of about 5 knots with no appreciable gusts. In the absence of any significant crosswind or wind gust, and coupled with the lack of any preimpact mechanical malfunctions of the nose wheel steering or brake systems, the pilot should have been able to maintain directional control during the landing roll.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.