Cessna 172B accident near Winslow, Arizona, March 31, 1999
On March 31, 1999 at about 5:15 pm local time, a Cessna 172B, registered N7882X, was substantially damaged in an accident near Winslow, Arizona (Winslow-Lindbergh Region 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 decision to continue flight into known adverse wind conditions which exceeded the ground handling capability of the aircraft.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 31, 1999 · about 5:15 pm local time
- Place
- Winslow, Arizona · Winslow-Lindbergh Region · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172B · all 172Bs on the register
- Registration
- N7882X · registry record · serial 17248382
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot landed on runway 22 and was blown over by high winds while turning off the runway to a parallel taxiway. According to Federal Aviation Administration records, there is no record that the pilot requested or received a preflight weather briefing. A review of FAA records disclosed that the pilot had an in-flight radio contact with Prescott flight service station while en route. In the contact at 1001, the pilot first inquired only about the CTAF frequency for the Winslow airport. The briefer then advised the pilot of the forecast for strong surface winds over the entire area and provided the 0956 Winslow METAR, which was reporting surface winds from 230 degrees at 40 knots with gusts to 50 knots. Review of the METAR reports showed that peak wind gusts of 63 knots occurred within an hour after the accident. According to engineering data provided by Cessna Aircraft, the maximum demonstrated crosswind capability of the aircraft is 17 knots.
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; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,800 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-300D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: AEG Albuquerque NM at 2:30 pm
- Destination: INW
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 22, 7,499 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 210° at 45 knots, gusting 56
- Visibility: 1 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 9°F (-13°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:56 pm from INW
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.