| Crash location | 32.755556°N, 108.209722°W |
| Nearest city | Silver City, NM
32.770075°N, 108.280326°W 4.2 miles away |
| Tail number | N1046F |
|---|---|
| Accident date | 26 Jan 2018 |
| Aircraft type | Cessna 172 |
| Additional details: | None |
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.
The student pilot’s improper landing flare in gusting crosswind conditions, which resulted in a hard, bounced landing.