20250817012469A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Cessna 172S · Middle River, MD · August 17, 2025

Date: August 17, 2025 · 01:30 local
Place: Middle River, MD
Airport: Martin State
Phase of flight: Landing: Touchdown
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N6208C
NTSB investigation: NTSBERA25LA306
Reported as: Cessna 172S
Reported engine: Lycoming IO-360-L2A
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificate: Private pilot
Pilot’s flight hours: 663 total330 in this make and model23 in the last 90 days

N6208CRegistered now · Cessna 172SS/N 172S10820 · Built 2008 Airframe modelCessna 172S Engine modelLycoming IO-360-L2AReciprocating

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry 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.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

Pilot was returning from cross country flight on IFR flight plan from rdu to mtn. Whether it was VMC winds calm, visibility 10 miles, sky scattered at 5000 feet. At approximately 0130 EST on August 17, 2025, during the landing phase of flight the pilot experienced a hard landing. Our office was notified the following morning approximately 0930 and inspectors were dispatched to investigate and inspect the aircraft.

As the FAA filed it

PILOT WAS RETURNING FROM CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHT ON IFR FLIGHT PLAN FROM RDU TO MTN. WHETHER IT WAS VMC WINDS CALM, VISIBILITY 10 MILES, SKY SCATTERED AT 5000 FEET. AT APPROXIMATELY 0130 EST ON AUGUST 17, 2025, DURING THE LANDING PHASE OF FLIGHT THE PILOT EXPERIENCED A HARD LANDING. OUR OFFICE WAS NOTIFIED THE FOLLOWING MORNING APPROXIMATELY 0930 AND INSPECTORS WERE DISPATCHED TO INVESTIGATE AND INSPECT THE AIRCRAFT.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB ERA25LA306Accident · No injuriesClass 4 · LimitedFinal reportBaltimore, MDThe pilot’s inadequate landing flare at night, which resulted in a hard landing.Aug 17, 2025 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N6208C · 1

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

Incident 20200511003459ILanding: Touchdown · Middle River, MDOn 05/11/2020 at approximately 10:20 local time [privacy data omitted] was performing a landing on runway 33 at Martin State Airport (kmtn) Middle River, MD. During the landing [privacy data omitted] encountered a gust of wind at the moment of touch down.…May 11, 2020 · Minor damage