No fatalities

27 May 2012: CESSNA 172S — Westwind Aviation — Page, AZ

Page, AZ, United States

On 27 May 2012, a CESSNA 172S operated by Westwind Aviation was involved in an aviation accident near Page, AZ. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during the landing flare. This summary draws on records from NTSB; 12 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

SourcesNTSBPrimary reportUpdated 1778583330Data APIEditorial standards

During landing approach, a private pilot maintained a yaw while the safety pilot monitored traffic. The pilot attempted to correct the yaw during flare, resulting in a side-load landing, veer-off, and collision with two parked aircraft.

Approach and Yaw Condition

A private pilot was at the controls during the landing approach, with another private pilot acting as a safety/lookout. The pilot held the airplane in a yaw during the approach. The safety pilot looked through the rear window to monitor another airplane that was behind them. The safety pilot became concerned about the proximity of that airplane and watched as it overflew their position during the flare.

Loss of Directional Control

When the safety pilot looked forward, he noticed the airplane was still in a yaw condition and not aligned with the runway centerline. The pilot attempted to correct the yaw during the flare but landed in a side load condition on the left main landing gear. The airplane subsequently veered off the runway.

Collision with Parked Aircraft

The safety pilot attempted to take control of the airplane, but it continued into the ramp area and collided with two parked aircraft. The accident airplane and one of the parked aircraft sustained substantial damage. The pilots reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation.

Contributing factors

Directional control — Not attained/maintainedPilot