NTSB CEN24LA232 — 2024-06-19 · Ruston, Louisiana, United States

Current FAA registration · N8725U

Make / Model: CESSNA 172F
Year of manufacture: 1965 · 59 years old at event
Engine: CONT MOTOR 0-300 SER (145 hp)
Seats / Engines: 4 seats · 1 engine
Last airworthiness date: 19650213
ADS-B equipped: Yes — Mode-S AC00DE

Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).

Aircraft involved

N8725U Cessna 172F None

Probable cause & findings

The student pilot’s failure to maintain directional control during the landing roll with a crosswind.

Factual narrative

The student pilot reported that while conducting a landing during his solo flight, he made what felt like a normal landing at first, but noted his right wheel remained airborne. He added left rudder and the airplane banked left. The student pilot lost control of the airplane as the left wing contacted the ground. The airplane departed the right side of the runway and came to rest. The outboard end of the left wing sustained substantial damage. The student pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. At the time of the accident, the student pilot was landing the airplane on runway 36 with wind from 050°at 9 knots. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database Retrieved: 2026-02-12

NTSB Findings

FAA avdata. C = Cause, F = Factor.

— Aircraft-Aircraft oper/perf/capability-Performance/control parameters-Directional control-Not attained/maintained
— Personnel issues-Task performance-Use of equip/info-Aircraft control-Student/instructed pilot
— Environmental issues-Conditions/weather/phenomena-Wind-Crosswind-Effect on operation

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_2024_CEN24LA232.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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