# Accident 20010821024539A: Cessna 172S, Gadsden, AL, August 21, 2001 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: August 21, 2001, 13:00 local time - Place: Gadsden, AL - Airport: Gadsden Municipal - Damage: Substantial damage - Phase of flight: Level Off Touchdown - Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91) - Location: 33.9725° N, 86.0889° W: From the FAA - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.9725&lon=-86.0889&mi=10 - Aircraft: N764SP, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N764SP) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry model: Cessna 172S (registry code 2072439, https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172s) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: Lycoming I0360 SER A&C (registry code 41511, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-i0360-ser-a-c) (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: CESSNA 172S - Reported engine: LYC IO360L2A - People aboard: 1 - Fatal injuries: 0 - Pilot certificates: Student - Pilot flight hours: 69 total, 17 in this make and model, 17 in the last 90 days - NTSB investigation: [NTSB MIA01LA227](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA01LA227) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20010821024539A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. (-23) BUSTER WATERS, A STUDENT PILOT, ARRIVED AT GADSDEN AIRPORT, GAD, AT APPROXIMATELY 1255 CDT ON AUGUST 21, 2001, IN N764SP, A CESSNA CE-172-S, THAT DEPARTED EARLIER THAT MORNING FROM BESSEMER AIRPORT, EKY. THE PURPOSE OF THE FLIGHT WAS TO ATTAIN THE AERONAUTICAL EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS 14 CFR 61.109 (A) RELATING TO SOLO CROSS COUNTRY. THE STUDENT PILOT SAID THAT HE ENTERED THE TRAFFIC PATTERN AND TURNED ON FINAL APPROACH FOR RUNWAY 36 AND THAT EVERYTHING WAS PROCEEDING NORMALLY. HE THEN STATED THAT HE WAS AT 65 KNOTS (MANUFACTURER'S RECOMMENDED APPROACH SPEED) ON FINAL APPROACH AND WAS AT APPROXIMATELY 10 TO 12 FEET IN THE AIR WHEN HE INITIATED HIS ROUND OUT. THE AIRPLANE DROPPED SUDDENLY TO THE RUNWAY RESULTING IN A HARD LANDING. MR. WATERS WAS VERY DISAPPOINTED WITH HIS PERFORMANCE AND DECIDED TO DO ANOTHER LANDING. HE KNEW HE HAD LANDED HARD BUT DID NOT THINK HE HAD DAMAGED THE AIRCRAFT. AFTER LANDING AGAIN, HE TAXIED THE AIRCRAFT TO PARKING AND DISCOVERED THE DAMAGE. HE NOTIFIED THE FBO WHERE HE RENTED THE AIRCRAFT BUT DID NOT REPORT THE ACCIDENT UNTIL TWO DAYS LATER AND THEN ERRONEOUSLY REPORTED IT AS AN INCIDENT. AIRCRAFT WAS ALREADY MOVED TO EKY AND FAA WAS NOTIFIED. (.19) ON AUGUST 21, 2001, ABOUT 1400 CENTRAL DAYLIGHT TIME, A CESSNA C-172S, N764SP, OWNED BY C & S AVIATION INC AND OPERATED BY A PRIVATE INDIVIDUAL, OPERATING AS A TITLE 14 CFR PART 91 INSTRUCTIONAL FLIGHT IMPACTED THE RUNWAY AT GADSDEN AIRPORT, GADSDEN, ALABAMA. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED. NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. THE AIRPLANE WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED. THE STUDENT PILOT REPORTED NO INJURIES. THE AIRPLANE DEPARTED GADSDEN AT AN UNKNOWN TIME ON A ROUND TRIP SOLO CROSS-COUNTRY FLIGHT. THE PILOT WAS COMPLETING HIS SOLO CROSS-COUNTRY FLIGHT AND LANDING AT HIS HOME AIRPORT WHEN THE AIRPLANE LANDED HARD, AND THE NOSEWHEEL BROKE OFF. THE ACCIDENT WAS ORIGINALLY REPORTED AS MINOR DAMAGE AND CHANGED TO AN ACCIDENT ON SEPTEMBER 4, 2001. (.4) ON AUGUST 21, 2001, ABOUT 1400 CENTRAL DAYLIGHT TIME, A CESSNA C-172S, N764SP, OWNED BY C & S AVIATION INC AND OPERATED BY BESSEMER AVIATION INC., OPERATING AS A TITLE 14 CFR PART 91 INSTRUCTIONAL FLIGHT IMPACTED THE RUNWAY AT GADSDEN AIRPORT, GADSDEN, ALABAMA. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED. A VISUAL FLIGHT RULES FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. THE AIRPLANE WAS SU BSTANTIALLY DAMAGED. THE STUDENT PILOT REPORTED NO INJURIES. THE AIRPLANE DEPARTED GADSDEN AT 1315, ON A ROUND TRIP SOLO CROSS-COUNTRY FLIGHT. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT'S STATEMENT HE WAS ON APPROACH TO RUNWAY 36, AT THE CONCLUSION OF A SOLO CROSS-COUNTRY FLIGHT. HE SAID THAT WHEN HE HAD THE "RUNWAY MADE," HE REDUCED POWER, MAINTAINED AIRSPEED, AND AT "10 TO 12 FEET" ABOVE THE RUNWAY HE BEGAN THE FLARE. HE SAID THE MAIN LANDING GEAR HIT "HARD" AND THE AIRPLANE " HIT HARD ON [THE] NOSE WHEEL." ## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1) From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. - [NTSB MIA01LA227](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA01LA227), Aug 21, 2001: Cessna 172S (N764SP), Gadsden, AL, substantial damage. Probable cause: the pilot misjudged the flare, resulting in a hard landing, and impact with the runway. ## Other reports on N764SP (2) Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date. - [Incident 20260213001469I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20260213001469I), Feb 13, 2026: Cessna 172S (N764SP), New Bedford, MA, Minor damage. On 02/13/2026, from New Bedford manuical airfort (ewb), incident aircraft took off from runway 32 for a student pilot cross-country solo flight at 1422 local… - [Incident 20120611010229I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20120611010229I), Jun 11, 2012: Cessna 172S (N764SP), Gosnold, MA, Minor damage. On landing aircraft propeller and left wing tip struck the ground bending propeller blades and damaging wing tip. From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.