Cessna 172S accident near Glendale, Arizona, April 26, 2012
On April 26, 2012 at about 8:30 pm local time, a 2000 Cessna 172S, registered N320ME, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Glendale, Arizona (Glendale 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 inadequate flare and compensation for gusting wind conditions, which resulted in a bounced landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 26, 2012 · about 8:30 pm local time
- Place
- Glendale, Arizona · Glendale Municipal Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172S S, built 2000 · all 172Ss on the register
- Registration
- N320ME · registry record · serial 172S8565
- 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 was landing the airplane in gusting wind conditions and encountered windshear during the landing flare. After landing hard, the airplane bounced, and the pilot applied corrective actions; however, the airplane touched down a second time, on its nosewheel, which resulted in substantial damage to the firewall. The pilot reported no mechanical malfunctions or failures 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
- Abnormal runway contact during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
- Loss of control on ground during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Incorrect action performance › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Landing flare › Not attained/maintained
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Gusts › Response/compensation
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,055 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 5, 2012; 30 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,299 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360 SER (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Call The Ball Aviation LLC
The flight
- Departed from: KGEU Glendale AZ at 6:55 pm
- Destination: KGEU Glendale AZ
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 19, 7,150 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 200° at 14 knots, gusting 24
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 12,000 ft; a few clouds at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 29.95 inHg
- Observation at 7:47 pm from KGEU, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.