No fatalities

Student Pilot Reports Landing Incident During Solo Cross-Country Flight

Silver City, NM, United States

On August 15, 2018, a Cessna 172 C was involved in an aviation accident near Silver City, NM. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot’s failure to maintain directional control while landing with a quartering tailwind. This summary draws on records from NTSB; 12 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

SourcesNTSBPrimary reportUpdated 2026-08-03Data APIEditorial standards

A student pilot reported that during a solo cross-country landing in gusting crosswind, the airplane drifted left, spun 180°, collapsed nose gear, and struck the right wing, which sustained substantial damage. NTSB was unable to contact the pilot for further details.

Incident Details

A student pilot reported to a Federal Aviation Administration inspector that, during a solo cross-country flight, while landing in a gusting crosswind, the airplane drifted off the runway to the left and spun 180°. The nose landing gear collapsed, and the right wing struck the ground. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing.

Weather Conditions

The automated weather observation station located on the airport reported that, about 5 minutes after the accident, the wind was from 140° at 10 knots. The airplane landed on runway 26.

Pilot Communication

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigator in charge repeatedly attempted to contact the student pilot via telephone and email regarding this accident, to no avail. The student pilot did not submit the NTSB Form 6120.1 Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident/Incident Report.

Contributing factors

Causes

Directional control — Not attained/maintainedStudent/instructed pilot

Other contributing factors

Effect on operation

Frequently asked questions

What happened in the 15 Aug 2018 Cessna 172 C accident near Silver City, NM?

A student pilot reported that during a solo cross-country landing in gusting crosswind, the airplane drifted left, spun 180°, collapsed nose gear, and struck the right wing, which sustained substantial damage. NTSB was unable to contact the pilot for further details.

Were there any fatalities in the 15 Aug 2018 Cessna 172 C accident?

No fatalities were recorded in this accident.

What aircraft was involved and where did it happen?

The accident on 15 Aug 2018 involved a Cessna 172 C, at Silver City, NM.

What was the probable cause of the accident?

The pilot’s failure to maintain directional control while landing with a quartering tailwind.