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WPR12CA171

2012-04-12 · Prescott, Arizona, United States · None · 1 aircraft · Status: Completed

Airport KPRC

Current FAA registration · N17304

Make / Model
CESSNA 172S
Year of manufacture
2007 · 5 years old at event
Engine
LYCOMING IO-360-L2A (180 hp)
Seats / Engines
4 seats · 1 engine
Last airworthiness date
20071204
ADS-B equipped
Yes — Mode-S A126C7

Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).

Aircraft involved

Probable cause & findings

The pilot's inadequate compensation for a crosswind during takeoff, which resulted in a loss of directional control.

Factual narrative

The pilot was practicing touch-and-go takeoffs and landings in a crosswind. The pilot said the landing was uneventful; however, as the airplane accelerated for takeoff it veered to the left. Despite the pilot's control inputs, the airplane continued to veer to the left, exited the runway surface, and struck a runway sign. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage, firewall, and empennage. The pilot reported no mechanical anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot was practicing touch-and-go takeoffs and landings in a crosswind. The pilot said that the landing was uneventful; however, as the airplane accelerated for takeoff, it veered to the left. Despite the pilot's control inputs, the airplane continued to veer to the left, exited the runway surface, and struck a runway sign. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage, firewall, and empennage. The pilot reported no 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-Directional control-Not attained/maintained - C
  • C Personnel issues-Task performance-Use of equip/info-Aircraft control-Pilot - C
  • C Environmental issues-Conditions/weather/phenomena-Wind-Crosswind-Response/compensation - C

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_2012_WPR12CA171.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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Related research

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