Cessna 172 accident near Show Low, Arizona, February 23, 2018
On February 23, 2018 at about 5:15 pm local time, a 1973 Cessna 172, registered N5147N, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Show Low, Arizona (Show Low Rgnl airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The flight instructor’s failure to maintain directional control during the landing roll in gusting crosswind and tailwind conditions.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 23, 2018 · about 5:15 pm local time
- Place
- Show Low, Arizona · Show Low Rgnl · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172 M, built 1973 · all 172s on the register
- Registration
- N5147N · registry record · serial 17261417
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The flight instructor reported that, during approach in a gusting crosswind, he took the flight controls from the student pilot about 500 to 700 ft above ground level. He added that, during the landing roll while decelerating, a wind gust lifted the back of the airplane "from the rear right to the front left, forcing the front wheel onto the ground and lifting the plane onto the left main" landing gear. He applied full left rudder and right aileron to correct, but when it did not improve the situation, he "relaxed the controls slightly back towards neutral." Subsequently, the airplane exited the runway to the right and came to rest inverted. The airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings and the fuselage and empennage. The flight instructor 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, at the time of the accident, the wind was from 210° at 26 knots, gusting to 32 knots. The airplane landed on runway 06.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Other weather encounter during landing (landing roll)
- Loss of control on ground during landing (landing roll) defining event
- Attempted remediation/recovery during landing (landing roll)
- Runway excursion during landing (landing roll)
- Nose over/nose down during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Instructor/check pilot
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Tailwind › Effect on operation
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Crosswind › Effect on operation
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Gusts › Effect on operation
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 803 hours in all; 533 in this make and model; 65 in the last 90 days; 31 in the last 30 days; 750 as pilot in command; 171 on instruments
- Last flight review: February 8, 2018
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Dual student
- Medical certificate: None
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 9,442.6 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 28, 2017
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2D (piston); 9,442 hours total
- Operator: Canyon State Aero LLC
The flight
- Departed from: FFZ Mesa AZ at 4:03 pm
- Destination: SOW Show Low AZ
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 06, 7,200 ft by 100 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 210° at 26 knots, gusting 32
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 36°F (2°C), dew point 12°F (-11°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:15 pm from KSOW
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
2 documents, released by the NTSB on April 11, 2018. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Accident Photos (Courtesy of Airport Manager) | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
Other NTSB records under N5147N the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.