Cessna 172S accident near Scottsdale, Arizona, May 20, 2002
On May 20, 2002 at about 6:35 pm local time, a Cessna 172S, registered N3547H, was substantially damaged in an accident 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).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the student pilot's improper recovery from a bounced landing and failure to maintain directional control on the landing roll, which resulted in a collision with a runway sign.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 20, 2002 · about 6:35 pm local time
- Place
- Scottsdale, Arizona · Scottsdale Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172S · all 172Ss on the register
- Registration
- N3547H · registry record · serial 172S8886
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane hit hard, bounced, veered off the runway, and the right main landing gear sheared off when the airplane collided with a runway marker sign. The student pilot was practicing touch-and-go takeoffs and landings. During touchdown, the airplane hit hard and bounced back into the air. Upon returning back down onto the runway, the airplane veered to the left. It continued off the runway into a dirt area. The student pilot attempted to turn the airplane to the right, back onto the runway. The airplane's right main landing gear strut collided with a runway marker sign, and the right main landing gear sheered off. The airplane continued veering to the right, across the runway, and departed the right side. The student pilot did not report any mechanical problems with the airplane prior to the accident.
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
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 56 hours in all; 56 in this make and model; 14 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days; 7 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 404.8 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 10, 2002; 8.4 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-L2A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SDL Scottsdale AZ at 5:15 pm
- Destination: SDL Scottsdale AZ
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 21, 8,249 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 36°F (2°C)
- Altimeter: 29.90 inHg
- Observation at 6:53 pm from SDL
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.