Cessna 172S and Cessna 172N accident near Glendale, Arizona, February 13, 2002
On February 13, 2002 at about 4:17 pm local time, 2 aircraft, Cessna 172S (N299ME) and Cessna 172N (N739NS), were involved in the same accident near Glendale, Arizona (Glendale airport). No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot of the landing airplane failed to maintain directional control resulting in the on-ground collission.
The pilot of the landing airplane failed to maintain directional control resulting in the on-ground collission.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 13, 2002 · about 4:17 pm local time
- Place
- Glendale, Arizona · Glendale · map
- Type
- Accident · collision on the ground
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft 1
- Cessna 172S · all 172Ss on the register
- Registration
- N299ME · no longer on the register · serial 172S8558
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
- Aircraft 2
- Cessna 172N · all 172Ns on the register
- Registration
- N739NS · no longer on the register · serial 17270679
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative for the Cessna 172S final · quoted from the NTSB record
A Cessna 172S veered off runway 01 during landing and collided on the ground with a taxiing Cessna 172N. The pilot of the landing 172S completed air work in the local practice area and returned for landing. On his first touch-and-go, the airplane veered to the left, but he regained directional control and took off. On the second touch-and-go, the airplane veered to the left again, but he could not recover. The airplane exited the runway about midfield between a taxiway and the high-speed taxiway. It crossed a gravel area between the runway and a parallel taxiway. The instructor and student in the taxiing 172N were taxiing to runway 01 via taxiway alpha. They saw the landing 172S bounce and veer towards the hangars. They stopped and thought the 172S would pass in front of them. However, the landing 172S turned directly towards them. They tried to turn away, but did not have enough time to avoid the collision. The airplanes converged from opposite directions so that the entire leading edge of the left wing of the landing 172S collided with the entire leading edge of the left wing of the taxiing 172N. The left wing tips contacted the left wing roots of the opposing airplane.
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 NTSB's narrative for the Cessna 172N final · quoted from the NTSB record
A Cessna 172S veered off runway 01 during landing and collided on the ground with a taxiing Cessna 172N. The pilot of the landing 172S completed air work in the local practice area and returned for landing. On his first touch-and-go, the airplane veered to the left, but he regained directional control and took off. On the second touch-and-go, the airplane veered to the left again, but he could not recover. The airplane exited the runway about midfield between a taxiway and the high-speed taxiway. It crossed a gravel area between the runway and a parallel taxiway. The instructor and student in the taxiing 172N were taxiing to runway 01 via taxiway alpha. They saw the landing 172S bounce and veer towards the hangars. They stopped and thought the 172S would pass in front of them. However, the landing 172S turned directly towards them. They tried to turn away, but did not have enough time to avoid the collision. The airplanes converged from opposite directions so that the entire leading edge of the left wing of the landing 172S collided with the entire leading edge of the left wing of the taxiing 172N. The left wing tips contacted the left wing roots of the opposing airplane.
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 for the Cessna 172S from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 151 hours in all; 17 in this make and model; 3 in the last 90 days; 41 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: March 2, 2002
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 790 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, January 23, 2002; 8 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360L2A (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Glendale Aviation LLC
The flight
- Departed from: GEU Glendale at 3:15 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 01, 5,350 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 0 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 18,000 ft
- Temperature: 52°F (11°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.11 inHg
- Observation at 3:55 pm from GEU
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
The factual record for the Cessna 172N from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Flight instructor
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,800 hours in all; 600 in this make and model; 1,686 as pilot in command; 1,091 on instruments
- Last flight review: February 4, 2002
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 32 hours in all; 32 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,683 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, January 19, 2002; 44 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320D2G (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: GEU Glendale AZ
- Flight plan: none
- A second pilot was aboard
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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.