NTSB Factual Report

On May 14, 2004, at 1730 mountain standard time, a Cessna T182T single-engine airplane, N5341G, was substantially damaged when it impacted terrain during landing at a private airstrip near Paulden, Arizona. The airplane was registered to, and operated by, the pilot. The student pilot, the sole occupant, was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan had been filed for the 14 CFR Part 91 local area instructional flight. The flight departed another private airstrip approximately 15 minutes prior to the accident.

During a telephone interview conducted by the National Transportation Safety Board investigator-in-charge, the student pilot stated he flew around his farm and was coming in for landing at his private airstrip. He indicated he had a "slight crosswind," but felt confident he could handle it. During the landing flare, the airplane encountered a "dust devil," which "porpoised the airplane up." The pilot noticed the airspeed drop to zero, so he elected to continue with the landing instead of attempting a go-around at a low airspeed. The airplane impacted the ground damaging the main landing gear, the wings, and the empennage.

At 1653, the weather observation facility at the Earnest A. Love Field, Prescott, Arizona (located approximately 13 miles south of the accident site), reported the wind from 250 degrees at 11 knots with gusts to 16 knots.

The student reported having accumulated a total of 60 flight hours, of which approximately 35 hours were in the accident airplane.

The pilot reported there were no anomalies with the airplane prior to the accident.

NTSB Probable Cause

The pilot's inadequate compensation for the wind conditions and failure to maintain an adequate airspeed.