N17223 – CESSNA 172S – 2013-12-24 NTSB Accident Report

On December 24, 2013, a Cessna 172S (N17223) was involved in an incident near Miami, FL. All 1 person aboard were uninjured. The aircraft sustained substantial damage.

The National Transportation Safety Board determined the probable cause of this incident to be: The pilot's improper flare during a gusty, crosswind landing.

According to the pilot, the airplane was approaching the runway with 20-degrees flaps. Winds reported about that time were 50 degrees from the right at 9, gusting to 17 knots. The pilot crabbed the airplane into the wind until about 50 feet above the runway, when he straightened the nose with left rudder and right aileron. The pilot then felt a gust of wind under the right wing, and corrected to maintain wings level. The right main landing gear touched down first, followed by a nose landing gear collapse with damage to the engine firewall. The pilot did not report any preexisting mechanical anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.

This incident is documented in NTSB report ERA14CA078. AviatorDB cross-references NTSB investigation data with FAA registry records to provide comprehensive safety information for aircraft N17223.