# Accident 20250401004609A: Cessna 172N, Hickory, NC, April 1, 2025

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: April 1, 2025, 19:54 local time
- Place: Hickory, NC
- Airport: Hickory Regional
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Landing: Touchdown
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 35.7434° N, 81.3796° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.7434&lon=-81.3796&mi=10
- Aircraft: N79514, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N79514) (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: 1
- Pilot certificates: Student
- Pilot flight hours: 59 total, 59 in this make and model, 15 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ERA25LA164](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA25LA164) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20250401004609A

## Narrative

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

ON 1 APRIL 2025 AT APPROXIMATELY 07:54PM (EDT), A CESSNA 172 WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED AT HICKORY AIRPORT HKY, OFF RUNWAY 24 APPROXIMATELY 306FT TO THE LEFT OF THE RUNWAY CENTERLINE. THE PILOT WAS A STUDENT ON HIS FIRST SOLO FLIGHT.THE PILOT STATED THE FIRST TWO LAPS WENT WELL, BUT ON THE THIRD AND FINAL LAP, THE PLANE BEGAN TO SLIDE ACROSS THE RUNWAY (RIGHT TO LEFT). AT THIS TIME THE PILOT INITIATED A GO-AROUND BUT FAILED TO PUT IN THE CORRECT FLIGHT CONTROL INPUTS RESULTING IN A LEFT-WING STALL. VISUAL DAMAGE TO THE AIRCRAFT INCLUDED NOSE GEAR COLLAPSE, PROP STRIKE, AND WING TIP DAMAGE. AFTER THE ACCIDENT, THE PILOT WAS TRANSPORTED TO THE HOSPITAL WITH NON-LIFE THREATING INJURIES. WEATHER OBSERVATIONS WERE CALM AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT.  SAS TASK T-EA68-FY25-1239

## 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 ERA25LA164](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA25LA164), Apr 1, 2025: Cessna 172N (N79514), Hickory, NC, substantial damage. Probable cause: The student pilot’s failure to maintain airplane control during an attempted go-around, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall/spin and collision with terrain.

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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