Cessna 172M accident near N. Las Vegas, Nevada, April 1, 2001
On April 1, 2001 at about 9:35 pm local time, a Cessna 172M, registered N9572H, was substantially damaged in an accident near N. Las Vegas, Nevada (North Las Vegas Air Terminal airport). It was a personal 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).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's inadequate compensation for the existing crosswind condition, and his failure to maintain runway alignment.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 1, 2001 · about 9:35 pm local time
- Place
- N. Las Vegas, Nevada · North Las Vegas Air Terminal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172M · all 172Ms on the register
- Registration
- N9572H · registry record · serial 17266237
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During an aborted landing the airplane collided with a fence and came to rest upright in a construction area on the airport. The pilot received wind information prior to landing, indicating that winds were from 140 degrees at 10 knots gusting to 20 knots. At the time of the accident the winds were from 190 degrees at 15 knots gusting to 20 knots. On the landing rollout the pilot applied the brakes; however, the airplane veered to the right of the runway. He attempted to counteract the movement with left rudder input. The airplane continued off the runway, and the pilot applied full throttle to abort the landing. The pilot placed the airplane in a climb attitude and made a shallow left bank. He saw the right wing pass over a box and simultaneously heard scraping. He then noted that the bank angle had increased and returned the airplane to straight-and-level flight and lowered the nose. He lined up on a dirt road and landed without further incident. There were no mechanical anomalies noted by the pilot with the airplane prior to or during the accident sequence.
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
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 82 hours in all; 82 in this make and model; 16 in the last 90 days; 9 in the last 30 days; 25 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,229 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, March 2, 2001; 66 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2D (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: West Air Aviation
The flight
- Departed from: SDL Scottsdale AZ at 7:15 pm
- Destination: VGT N. Las Vegas NV
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 12, 5,000 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 190° at 15 knots, gusting 20
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft; clear
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 50°F (10°C)
- Altimeter: 29.61 inHg
- Observation at 9:40 pm from VGT
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
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.