Cessna 172N accident near Tuscon, Arizona, April 6, 2022
On April 6, 2022 at about 9:45 pm local time, a 1976 Cessna 172N, registered N733EJ, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Tuscon, Arizona (Ryan Field 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 loss of directional control during the landing roll, due to missing hardware which resulted in the separation of the nose landing gear torque links.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 6, 2022 · about 9:45 pm local time
- Place
- Tuscon, Arizona · Ryan Field Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172N, built 1976 · all 172Ns on the register
- Registration
- N733EJ · registry record · serial 17268235
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot of the airplane reported that, during the landing roll the airplane veered left unexpectedly. The pilot applied corrective action with rudder input, but the airplane continued to veer left, exited the left side of the runway, impacted a ditch, and nosed over. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right-wing lift strut, vertical stabilizer and rudder. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed that, the bolt, spacer, nut and cotter pin connecting the upper torque link and the lower torque link was missing and not observed with the wreckage. It further revealed that the upper and lower torque links were not damaged. Damage to the nose gear and the right main gear was consistent with impact damage when the airplane exited the runway and impacted a ditch. A review of the airplane maintenance records did not reveal any recent maintenance conducted on the nose landing gear torque links.
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
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Misc hardware › Fasteners › Incorrect service/maintenance
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 3,100 hours in all; 1,000 in this make and model; 48 in the last 90 days; 40 in the last 30 days; 2,946 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: January 27, 2022
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Passenger
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 17, 2022
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Pacific Contractors LLC
The flight
- Departed from: KAVQ Marana AZ at 9:30 pm
- Destination: E60 Eloy AZ
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 33, 4,010 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 310° at 10 knots, gusting 17
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 23°F (-5°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:47 pm from KRYN, 1 miles away
Weather report (METAR): KRYN 062147Z 31010G17KT 10SM CLR 31/M05 A3000
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
3 documents, released by the NTSB on June 30, 2022. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Record of E-mail Correspondence (FAA) | PDF, 4 pages | View Download |
| 3 | Damage Photos | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.