No fatalities

9 Jun 2012: CESSNA 172S — West Valley Flying Club — Bend, OR

Bend, OR, United States

On 9 Jun 2012, a CESSNA 172S operated by West Valley Flying Club was involved in an aviation accident near Bend, OR. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot’s inadequate crosswind correction, which resulted in a loss of airplane control and runway excursion into a berm. This summary draws on records from NTSB; 17 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

SourcesNTSBPrimary reportUpdated 1778583330Data APIEditorial standards

A pilot reported touching down beyond PAPI lights in gusty crosswind; during landing roll, left wing lifted, aircraft veered right, departed runway, and struck a berm, damaging the left wing.

Incident Overview

A pilot experienced a runway excursion while landing in gusting wind conditions with a quartering crosswind. The airplane touched down beyond the precision approach path indicator (PAPI) lights on a runway. The pilot reported that on short final, he noted the aircraft was high, but it remained aligned with the runway centerline during touchdown.

Landing Roll and Loss of Control

During the landing roll, the left wing lifted, causing the airplane to turn to the right. The pilot attempted to maintain directional control but was unsuccessful. The aircraft departed the runway surface and struck a berm. The impact substantially damaged the left wing.

Post-Accident Findings

According to the pilot, there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The investigation did not identify any additional factors beyond the reported conditions.

Contributing factors

Causes

Crosswind correction — Not attained/maintainedDirectional control — Not attained/maintained

Other contributing factors

Effect on equipment