# Accident 20250821011479A: Cessna 172S, Gaithersburg, MD, August 21, 2025

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: August 21, 2025, 19:25 local time
- Place: Gaithersburg, MD
- Airport: Montgomery County Airpark
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Landing: Rollout
- Operating rules: Pilot school (Part 141)
- Operator: 7WIS
- Location: 39.1683° N, 77.1660° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.1683&lon=-77.1660&mi=10
- Aircraft: N505LP, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N505LP) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Cessna 172S (registry code 2072439, https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172s) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming I0360 series (registry code 41515, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-i0360-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA 172S
- Reported engine: LYCOMING I0360 SER
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot, flight instructor, private pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 394 total, 31 in this make and model, 86 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ERA25LA311](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA25LA311) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20250821011479A

## Narrative

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

DURING A TRAINING FLIGHT ON AUGUST 21, 2025, A FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR AND STUDENT PILOT ENCOUNTERED CONTROL INTERFERENCE ISSUES WHILE LANDING ON RUNWAY 32 AT KGAI, WITH AN IPAD LOCATED ON THE STUDENT’S LAP CONTRIBUTING TO THE PROBLEM. THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR NOTED THE STUDENT'S UNFAMILIARITY WITH CERTAIN PROCEDURES, DUE TO BEING NEW TO THE FLIGHT SCHOOL AND INSIGNIFICANT PREVIOUS TRAINING. DURING THE LANDING APPROACH, THE STUDENT PILOT REPORTED THAT THE IPAD WAS INTERFERING WITH THE CONTROL YOKE, COMPROMISING THEIR ABILITY TO CONTROL THE AIRCRAFT EFFECTIVELY. IN THE INSTRUCTOR'S WRITTEN STATEMENT, SHE MENTIONED BRIEFLY DIVERTING HER ATTENTION TO HELP ADJUST THE IPAD, WHICH LED TO A DELAYED REALIZATION THAT THE AIRCRAFT HAD LANDED TOO FAR DOWN THE RUNWAY. THE INSTRUCTOR EXPLAINED THAT DUE TO INSUFFICIENT RUNWAY AND THE PRESENCE OF OBSTACLES, THEY CHOSE NOT TO ATTEMPT A GO-AROUND, AND INSTEAD APPLIED FULL BRAKES AND STEERED THE AIRCRAFT ONTO THE GRASS TO PREVENT A MORE SEVERE OUTCOME, WHICH THE INSTRUCTOR NOTED COULD HAVE RESULTED FROM ATTEMPTING A GO-AROUND. THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO A STOP IN AN UPRIGHT POSITION, 140 FEET BEYOND THE RUNWAY'S END, DOWN IN A RAVINE. THIS RESULTED IN SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE AIRCRAFT, WHICH INCLUDED, THE PROPELLER, NOSE GEAR AND NOSE WHEEL, ENGINE FIREWALL, UNDERSIDE OF THE FORWARD FUSELAGE, JAMMED FLIGHT CONTROL SURFACE, AND WING TIP.

WEATHER:  KGAI 211933Z AUTO VRB03KT 10SM BKN016 OVC048 21/21 A2995 RMK  AO2 RAE04 PNO

## 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 ERA25LA311](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA25LA311), Aug 21, 2025: Cessna 172 (N505LP), Gaithersburg, MD, substantial damage. Probable cause: The flight instructor’s distraction during landing, which resulted in a long landing and subsequent runway excursion.

## Other reports on N505LP (2)

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

- [Incident 20210521009872I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20210521009872I), May 21, 2021: Cessna 172S (N505LP), Sanford, NC, Minor damage. Two aircraft from Washington international flight academy were conducting part 61 flight training and were on long cross country flights that originated at…
- [Accident 20201222017339A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20201222017339A), Dec 22, 2020: Cessna 172S (N505LP), Brandy Station, VA, Substantial damage. The pilot attempted to land the aircraft in a 25 knot crosswind. While in the roundout, a gust of wind hit the aircraft and the pilot was unable to react. The…

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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