Cessna 172N accident near Chandler, Arizona, April 24, 1997
On April 24, 1997 at about 5:30 pm local time, a Cessna 172N, registered N733PM, was substantially damaged in an accident near Chandler, Arizona (Chandler Municipal airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's encounter with crosswind gusts beyond the performance capability of the aircraft. A lack of crosswind limit information published in the Cessna 172N Pilot's Operating Handbook for landing and taxiing operations is a factor in the accident.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 24, 1997 · about 5:30 pm local time
- Place
- Chandler, Arizona · Chandler Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172N · all 172Ns on the register
- Registration
- N733PM · no longer on the register · serial 17268443
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that he lost directional control of the aircraft on the landing roll due to a wind gust. The right wing impacted runway lights and both wings struck the runway surface. The aircraft eventually departed the runway into soft dirt, causing the nose gear to collapse. A special weather observation taken just after the accident, reported that the surface winds were from 260 degrees at 15 knots with gusts to 25 knots. Immediately before the accident, the winds were reported as being from 280 degrees at 18 knots with gusts to 25 knots. According to the manufacturer's demonstrated crosswind component information, at the time the accident occurred, the wind exceeded the aircraft's demonstrated crosswind capability by as much as 7 knots, or 46 percent.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land
- Flight time: 1,200 hours in all; 20 in this make and model; 5 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 1,140 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,817 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 10, 1997; 50 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-H2AD (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Sunbird Flight Services
The flight
- Departed from: CHD at 4:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 22L, 4,850 ft by 75 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 280° at 18 knots, gusting 25
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 10°F (-12°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:19 pm from CHD
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.