N1046F – CESSNA 172 – 2018-01-26 NTSB Accident Report

On January 26, 2018, a Cessna 172 (N1046F) was involved in an incident near Silver City, NM. 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 student pilot’s improper landing flare in gusting crosswind conditions, which resulted in a hard, bounced landing.

The student pilot reported that, while landing during a solo flight, a wind gust pushed the airplane to the right side of the runway and he was "unable to recover". The airplane landed hard, bounced, and came to rest inverted.

The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing and empennage.

The student pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

A review of recorded data from the automated weather observation station located 8 nautical miles to the south-southeast from the airport reported that, about 5 minutes before the accident, the wind was from 280° at 12 knots, gusting 16 knots. The airplane landed on runway 35.

This incident is documented in NTSB report GAA18CA112. AviatorDB cross-references NTSB investigation data with FAA registry records to provide comprehensive safety information for aircraft N1046F.