Cessna 172 accident near Scottsdale, Arizona, March 2, 2019
On March 2, 2019 at about 8:00 pm local time, a 1997 Cessna 172, registered N9404F, was substantially damaged in an accident during approach (VFR go-around) near Scottsdale, Arizona (Scottsdale airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The student pilot's failure to maintain the runway heading during a go-around with a crosswind, which resulted in the left main landing gear impacting a runway sign.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 2, 2019 · about 8:00 pm local time
- Place
- Scottsdale, Arizona · Scottsdale · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172 R, built 1997 · all 172s on the register
- Registration
- N9404F · registry record · serial 17280229
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The solo student pilot reported that, during the landing roll of a touch-and-go landing, the airplane began to veer off the runway, so he added power for a go-around. During the go-around, he saw that the left main landing (MLG) gear strut was bent and that the tire was "missing." He told the tower controller that he must have hit something and was instructed to fly by the tower. After the flyby, the tower controller confirmed that the left MLG was damaged and cleared the student to land. During the landing roll, the airplane skidded off the runway. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left horizontal stabilizer and left elevator. The student reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The airport's automated weather observation station reported that, about 7 minutes before the accident, the wind was from 320° at 8 knots. The student was landing the airplane on runway 21. Examination of security videos revealed that, during the go-around, the airplane drifted left and that the left MLG struck a runway sign.
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
- Loss of control in flight during approach (VFR go-around) defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during approach (VFR go-around)
- Landing gear collapse during landing
- Runway excursion during landing
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Heading/course › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Student/instructed pilot
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 9.1 hours in all; 9.1 in this make and model; 9.1 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days; 0.2 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 9,451 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, January 11, 2019
- Maximum gross weight: 2,450 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-L2A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SDL Scottsdale AZ
- Destination: SDL Scottsdale AZ
- Flight plan: not recorded
- Runway 21, 8,249 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 320° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 8,000 ft
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 30.02 inHg
- Observation at 7:53 pm from KSDL
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number GAA19CA162.