Cessna 172A accident near Payson, Arizona, October 3, 2009
On October 3, 2009 at about 4:00 pm local time, a Cessna 172A, registered N7810T, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Payson, Arizona (Payson 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 stress corrosion cracking of the nose gear landing fork, which resulted in the fork's failure during landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 3, 2009 · about 4:00 pm local time
- Place
- Payson, Arizona · Payson Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172A · all 172As on the register
- Registration
- N7810T · no longer on the register · serial 47410
- 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, as the airplane touched down, the nose gear separated and the airplane veered to the left before coming to rest on the runway. During the event the right wing was substantially damaged. Postaccident examination of the separated nose landing gear fork indicated that the alloy used for forging the part was 2014 series aluminum, which is susceptible to stress corrosion cracking (SCC) given the proper environment and a continuous stress state. A Safety Board metallurgist concluded that the fracture characteristics were consistent with SCC, with slow crack growth over time. The crack appeared to have originated from a point on the surface of the bolt hole bore and propagated upwards and outwards. The last annual inspection of the airplane was conducted about two weeks prior to the accident, although the investigation was unable to determine if the crack would have been visible to the unaided eye during a routine inspection.
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
What happened, in order
- Sys/Comp malf/fail (non-power) during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
- Loss of control on ground during landing
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Nose/tail gear attach section › Fatigue/wear/corrosion
Pilot
- Flight time: 70 hours in all; 70 in this make and model; 40 in the last 90 days; 30 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,369 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 23, 2009; 1 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,200 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Teledye Continental Motors O-300 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PAN Payson AZ at 3:00 pm
- Destination: PAN Payson AZ
- Flight plan: not recorded
- Runway 24, 5,500 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 130° at 6 knots, gusting 15
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 7,500 ft
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 28°F (-2°C)
- Altimeter: 29.95 inHg
- Observation at 3:50 pm from SEZ, 42 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.