Cessna 172S accident near Cottonwood, Arizona, May 24, 2001
On May 24, 2001 at about 11:16 pm local time, a Cessna 172S, registered N506ER, was substantially damaged in an accident near Cottonwood, Arizona (Cottonwood airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the student's inadequate compensation for the gusty crosswind conditions and the subsequent loss of aircraft control during landing roll. The flight instructor’s inadequate supervision and his inadequate remedial action is also causal. Contributing factors were the gusty and crosswind weather conditions.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 24, 2001 · about 11:16 pm local time
- Place
- Cottonwood, Arizona · Cottonwood · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172S · all 172Ss on the register
- Registration
- N506ER · registry record · serial 172S8617
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane impacted terrain during an attempted rejected landing after the student loss control of the airplane during a landing roll. The flight instructor reported the student conducted a uneventful landing on runway 14 with proper control inputs and had placed the aircraft within 3 feet of centerline. As the airplane's nose wheel settled on the runway, the right wing "suddenly lifted, the aircraft rotated to the left, and [the airplane was] airborne." The flight instructor took control of the aircraft, applied full power, lowered the nose, and attempted to regain control of the airplane. As he maneuvered the aircraft to the left toward a clearing away from a building, the airplane impacted the ground with the left wing first, followed by the nose. The student had utilized 30 degrees of flaps during the landing and had not raised the flaps during the landing roll. A witness indicated that their flights were cancelled that day due to the gusty crosswind conditions. The closest weather observation facility reported the wind from 230 degrees (variable between 200 and 260 degrees) at 10 knots gusting to 20 knots. The flight school's Airplane Maneuvers Guide, under a section titled "Normal and Crosswind Approach and Landing," had a note indicating, "CROSSWIND CONDITIONS MAY REQUIRE A REDUCED FLAP SETTING FOR APPROACH AND LANDING. CARE MUST BE EXCERCISED TO ENSURE ADEQUATE RUNWAY LENGTH." The section also indicates, "Gusty wind conditions may require a touchdown at a slightly higher speed than normal (5-10 KIAS above power-off stall speed) and a slightly lower than normal pitch attitude. A reduced flap setting may also be necessary." The Pilot Information Manual for the accident airplane indicates that the maximum demonstrated crosswind component was 15 knots. Review of the student's flight records revealed he had received an unsatisfactory rating during a stage check flight about 1 month prior to the accident. One of the reasons listed for the unsatisfactory rating was "improper x-wind (crosswind) correction during taxi."
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instructor: powered-lift; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 774 hours in all; 575 in this make and model; 687 as pilot in command; 416 on instruments
- Last flight review: June 30, 2000
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: minor injuries
Dual student
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 125 hours in all; 64 in this make and model; 92 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: August 23, 2000
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 582 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, May 11, 2001; 46 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,558 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-360-L2A (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University - Prescott
The flight
- Departed from: PRC Prescott AZ at 10:30 pm
- Destination: P52 Cottonwood AZ
- Runway 14, 4,250 ft by 75 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 230° at 13 knots, gusting 22
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 90°F (32°C), dew point 36°F (2°C)
- Altimeter: 30.07 inHg
- Observation at 10:53 pm from PRC, 20 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | 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.