Thermal, CA, USA
N4201Y
Cessna 172R
During the landing rollout with a right quartering tailwind, the airplane veered off the runway, the nose wheel dug into the soft sand, and the airplane nosed over. After touch down the right wing was still airborne, with only the nose and left wheels on the pavement. The pilot used only the nose wheel steering and rudder to maintain directional control, but did not use the ailerons. The student pilot stated that there were no mechanical difficulties encountered with the airplane.
On March 11, 2003, at 1100 Pacific standard time, a Cessna 172R, N4201Y, veered off runway 35 and came to rest inverted at the Palm Desert Regional Airport (TRM), Thermal, California. The Flight School at Palm Springs operated the airplane under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91. The airplane sustained substantial damaged. The student pilot, the sole occupant, was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the local area instructional flight, and no flight plan had been filed. The flight departed the Palm Springs International Airport (PSP), Palm Springs, California, at 1030. The flight was scheduled to terminate at PSP. According to a METAR report taken at 1054 at TRM, the wind was from 120-degrees at 6 knots. In the student pilot's written statement he stated that he landed left of centerline due to a crosswind. After touch down the right wing was still airborne. The pilot corrected with rudder and nose wheel, but did not use aileron. The airplane departed the runway. The nose landing gear dug into the soft sand, and the airplane came to rest inverted. The student pilot stated that there were no mechanical difficulties encountered with the airplane.
the student pilot's failure to use aileron controls to compensate for the known crosswind and failure to maintain directional control during the landing rollout.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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