Probable cause
The student pilot’s failure to maintain directional control during the landing roll with a crosswind.
NTSB analysis
During the landing roll, the airplane veered off the left side of the runway and struck a runway sign, which resulted in substantial damage to the left wing strut and left horizontal stabilizer. Postaccident examination of the airplane did not reveal any preimpact malfunctions that would have precluded normal operation. The airplane had been operated about 13 hours since its most recent 100-hour inspection, which was performed 3 days before the accident. The student pilot had accumulated about 45 hours of total flight experience, all in the make and model of the accident airplane, including about 38 hours during the 90 days that preceded the accident. A 6-knot crosswind existed at the time of the accident.
Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for ERA14CA106 for the full record.
Event
- Date
- Nov 16, 2013
- Type
- Accident
- Place
- St. Augustine, Florida
- Nearest airport
- Northeast Florida Rgnl (SGJ)
- Highest injury
- None
- Weather
- Visual (VMC)
- Light
- Day
Cessna 172S
- N-number
- N873EF
- Category
- Airplane
- Year built
- 2006
- Damage
- Substantial
- Operating rule
- Part 91 (general aviation)
- Purpose of flight
- Instructional
From the NTSB aviation accident database: N-registered aircraft, events since 2008, data through Oct 28, 2026. The file is published monthly, so the latest weeks are incomplete and recent records can change. The official source is the NTSB aviation investigation search. CheckAero is independent and not affiliated with the NTSB.