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GAA19CA448

2019-07-22 · Van Nuys, California, United States · None · 1 aircraft · Status: Completed

Airport VNY

Current FAA registration · N737DW

Make / Model
CESSNA 172N
Year of manufacture
1977 · 42 years old at event
Engine
LYCOMING 0-320 SERIES (180 hp)
Seats / Engines
4 seats · 1 engine
Last airworthiness date
19771007
ADS-B equipped
Yes — Mode-S A9E56C

Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).

Aircraft involved

Probable cause & findings

The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during landing with a left quartering crosswind, which resulted in a runway excursion and impact with runway lighting.

Factual narrative

The pilot reported that, during landing, shortly after the main landing gear touched down, the airplane veered left, exited the runway to the left, and impacted the visual approach slope indicator. 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 automated weather observation station located on the airport reported that, about the time of the accident, the wind was 120° at 9 knots. The pilot reported the wind was 120° at 13 knots. The airplane landed on runway 16R. The pilot reported that, during landing, shortly after the main landing gear touched down, the airplane veered left, exited the runway, and impacted the visual approach slope indicator. 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. 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-Directional control-Not attained/maintained - C
  • C Personnel issues-Task performance-Use of equip/info-Aircraft control-Pilot - C
  • C Environmental issues-Physical environment-Object/animal/substance-Runway/taxi/approach light-Effect on operation - C
  • C Environmental issues-Conditions/weather/phenomena-Wind-Crosswind-Effect on operation - C

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_2019_GAA19CA448.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

Search this event elsewhere

External sources are reported, not agency: signal that something happened, not fact about what happened.

Related research

Matched on aircraft type or causal vocabulary (runway excursion). All research papers