Cessna 172S accident near Phoenix, Arizona, September 26, 2011
On September 26, 2011 at about 2:20 am local time, a Cessna 172S, registered N169ME, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Phoenix, Arizona (Phoenix Deer Valley airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s failure to maintain directional control during the landing rollout.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 26, 2011 · about 2:20 am local time
- Place
- Phoenix, Arizona · Phoenix Deer Valley · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172S S · all 172Ss on the register
- Registration
- N169ME · registry record · serial 172S8849
- 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 landed to the right of the centerline of the runway, and, while attempting to correct back to the centerline, the airplane exited the right side of the runway and impacted terrain. A postaccident examination of the airplane revealed substantial damage to the airplane's firewall. The pilot reported no mechanical anomalies with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
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
- Loss of control on ground during landing (landing roll) defining event
- Runway excursion during landing (landing roll)
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 106 hours in all; 33 in this make and model; 45 in the last 90 days; 22 in the last 30 days; 38 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: July 25, 2011
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
Other crew
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 383 hours in all; 320 in this make and model; 56 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 181 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: September 6, 2011
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,331 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 17, 2011; 31 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Westwind Aircraft Leasing LLC
The flight
- Departed from: VGT Las Vegas NV at 11:30 pm
- Destination: DVT Phoenix AZ
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 25L, 8,197 ft by 100 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 250° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 91°F (33°C), dew point 37°F (3°C)
- Altimeter: 29.76 inHg
- Observation at 2:20 am from DVT, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | 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.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number WPR11CA466.