# Accident 20250109001629A: Cessna 172N, Mayfield, KY, January 9, 2025

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: January 9, 2025, 17:00 local time
- Place: Mayfield, KY
- Airport: Mayfield Graves County
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Landing: Touchdown
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 36.7733° N, 88.5845° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=36.7733&lon=-88.5845&mi=10
- Aircraft: N4942G, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N4942G-2025-05-08) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Cessna 172N (registry code 2072434, https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172n) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming 0-320 series (registry code 41508, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA 172N
- Reported engine: LYCOMING 0-320 SERIES
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Student
- Pilot flight hours: 24 total, 24 in this make and model, 20 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ERA25LA101](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA25LA101) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20250109001629A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

ON 01/09/2025, A CESSNA 172 REGISTERED AS^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED DUE TO A HARD LANDING. THE PILOT, A STUDENT PILOT, WAS ON HIS INITIAL SOLO FLIGHT IN THE TRAFFIC PATTERN WITH HIS INSTRUCTOR OBSERVING THE FLIGHT FROM THE GROUND. BOTH STUDENT AND INSTRUCTOR STATED THE AIRCRAFT WAS ON A NORMAL APPROACH AND DURING THE LANDING FLAIR, THE AIRCRAFT BEGAN TO BALLOON. THE STUDENT STATED HE ATTEMPTED TO GO AROUND AND PULLED BACK TOO MUCH DUE TO HIS LACK OF EXPERIENCE. THE AIRCRAFT PITCHED OVER AND THE NOSE GEAR COLLAPSED AFTER STRIKING THE GROUND DAMAGING THE PROPELLER AND STRUCTURE OF THE AIRCRAFT. THERE WERE NO INJURIES OR DAMAGE TO PROPERTY. THERE WAS ALSO NO POST IMPACT FIRE.

## 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 ERA25LA101](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA25LA101), Jan 9, 2025: Cessna 172N (N4942G), Mayfield, KY, substantial damage. Probable cause: The student pilot’s improper landing flare, which resulted in a hard landing and nose landing gear collapse.

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.

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