Cessna 172M N172LD accident near Plymouth, Michigan

Probable cause

The pilot's failure to perform a go-around when the airplane was not in a position to make a safe landing and his excessive use of bank control during the landing attempt, which resulted in the wing striking the ground.

NTSB analysis

The pilot reported that, during his landing approach, while about 15 feet above the ground, a gust of wind caused the airplane's nose to rise and turn to the left. He stated that he corrected and returned the airplane to a level attitude, but it was then pointed about 20 degrees off of the runway heading. The pilot attempted to return to the runway heading, but the wingtip struck the ground. The airplane then entered a ditch adjacent to the runway. The pilot reported no mechanical failures or malfunctions of the airplane. A weather report from a station located about 8 miles away from the accident airport recorded the wind speed as 6 knots; no wind gusts were recorded. A postaccident examination revealed substantial damage to the left wing.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for CEN11CA604 for the full record.