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ERA14CA078

2013-12-24 · Miami, Florida, United States · None · 1 aircraft · Status: Completed

Airport OPF

Current FAA registration · N17223

Make / Model
CESSNA 172S
Year of manufacture
2007 · 6 years old at event
Engine
LYCOMING IO-360-L2A (180 hp)
Seats / Engines
4 seats · 1 engine
Last airworthiness date
20071120
ADS-B equipped
Yes — Mode-S A12355

Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).

Aircraft involved

Probable cause & findings

The pilot's improper flare during a gusty, crosswind landing.

Factual narrative

According to the pilot, the airplane was approaching the runway with 20-degrees flaps. Winds reported about that time were 50 degrees from the right at 9, gusting to 17 knots. The pilot crabbed the airplane into the wind until about 50 feet above the runway, when he straightened the nose with left rudder and right aileron. The pilot then felt a gust of wind under the right wing, and corrected to maintain wings level. The right main landing gear touched down first, followed by a nose landing gear collapse with damage to the engine firewall. The pilot did not report any preexisting mechanical anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. According to the pilot, the airplane was approaching the runway with 20-degrees flaps. Winds reported about that time were 50 degrees from the right at 9, gusting to 17 knots. The pilot crabbed the airplane into the wind until about 50 feet above the runway, when he straightened the nose with left rudder and right aileron. The pilot then felt a gust of wind under the right wing, and corrected to maintain wings level. The right main landing gear touched down first, followed by a nose landing gear collapse with damage to the engine firewall. The pilot did not report any preexisting mechanical anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.         Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database Retrieved: 2026-02-12

NTSB Findings

FAA avdata. C = Cause, F = Factor.

  • C Aircraft-Aircraft oper/perf/capability-Performance/control parameters-Landing flare-Incorrect use/operation - C
  • C Personnel issues-Task performance-Use of equip/info-Aircraft control-Pilot - C
  • — Environmental issues-Conditions/weather/phenomena-Wind-Crosswind-Effect on operation
  • — Environmental issues-Conditions/weather/phenomena-Wind-Gusts-Effect on operation

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_2013_ERA14CA078.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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