NTSB Factual Report

On March 13, 2001, about 1755 hours mountain standard time, a Cessna 172N, N738PP, sustained substantial damage when it veered off the runway and nosed over during the landing rollout at Show Low, Arizona. Mountain Exec Air was operating the rental airplane under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91. The solo student pilot was not injured. The local instructional flight departed about 1700. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. No flight plan had been filed.

The flight instructor observed the accident. He said the student pilot took off about an hour before the accident. The student had completed about 12 touch-and-go landings and was performing a short field landing. During the landing roll, the airplane veered off the right side of runway 21 and nosed over. The instructor said the winds were right down the runway and about 5 knots.

The pilot submitted a written statement. He said he landed between 60 and 65 knots with full flaps. The touchdown was smooth and he had rolled several hundred feet down the runway when the airplane started to veer to the right. He countered with left rudder and nothing happened. He applied full left rudder and left brake, but the airplane continued to the right and off the runway. The wings and the empennage sustained substantial damage when the airplane nosed over after traveling through a ditch.

The operator failed to submit a pilot/operator report, NTSB Form 6120.1/2.

NTSB Probable Cause

The pilot's failure to maintain directional control resulting in an encounter with terrain and a nose over.