Cessna 172S accident near Page, Arizona, May 27, 2012
On May 27, 2012 at about 4:00 pm local time, a Cessna 172S, registered N21718, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Page, Arizona (Page 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 failure to maintain directional control during the landing flare.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 27, 2012 · about 4:00 pm local time
- Place
- Page, Arizona · Page Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172S · all 172Ss on the register
- Registration
- N21718 · registry record · serial 172S9645
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The private pilot was flying the airplane and another pilot was acting as a safety pilot during the approach to landing. The flying pilot stated that he held the airplane in a left yaw during the final approach, and the safety pilot stated that he was looking through the airplane’s rear window at the airplane that was just behind them. The safety pilot said that he became concerned that the airplane behind them was flying too close and that he continued to watch as it overflew their position during the flare. When the safety pilot looked forward, he noticed that the airplane he was in was in a yaw condition, and the pilot had not aligned the airplane with the runway centerline for landing. The pilot attempted to correct the yaw during the flare, but the airplane landed in a side load condition on the left main landing gear and then veered off the left side of the runway. The safety pilot tried to take control of the airplane, but it continued into the ramp area and collided with two parked aircraft. The accident airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing and the left side of the main cabin, and one of the parked airplanes sustained substantial damage to its rear cabin and tail section. The accident pilots reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airframe or engine 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 (flare/touchdown) defining event
- 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: 158 hours in all; 158 in this make and model; 104 in the last 90 days; 55 in the last 30 days; 80 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: April 10, 2012
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Other crew
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 250 hours in all; 250 in this make and model; 43 in the last 90 days; 22 in the last 30 days; 160 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: May 14, 2012
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,265 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 5, 2012; 24 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-L2A (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Westwind Aviation
The flight
- Departed from: DVT Deer Valley AZ at 1:50 pm
- Destination: PGA Page AZ
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 33, 5,950 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 23°F (-5°C)
- Altimeter: 30.02 inHg
- Observation at 3:53 pm from PGA
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 |
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.