Cessna 172 N8487X accident near Center, Texas

Probable cause

The pilot's exceedance of the airplane's critical angle of attack during landing in gusting crosswind conditions, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall.

NTSB analysis

The pilot reported that, during the landing flare, a wind gust "lifted the wing up 90 degrees." She then leveled the wings and added full power. When the wings were leveled, the airplane was above a drainage ditch between the runway and parallel taxiway. She realized that the airplane would not gain enough airspeed to "make the [taxiway]," so she intentionally aerodynamically stalled the airplane to "prevent flipping" it. The airplane descended and impacted the drainage ditch.

The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right and left wings.

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

The airport's automated weather observation system reported that the wind was from 310° at 14 knots, gusting to 23 knots. A weather station located about 2 miles southwest of the airport reported that, about the time of the accident, the wind was from 311° at 2.7 mph (about 2 knots), gusting to 12.1 mph (about 11 knots). The pilot was landing the airplane on runway 35.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for GAA19CA123 for the full record.