20260301002039A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Cessna 172S · Carthage, NC · March 1, 2026

Date: March 1, 2026 · 17:30 local
Place: Carthage, NC
Airport: Gilliam - Mcconnell Airfield
Phase of flight: Landing: Approach
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N972WW
NTSB investigation: NTSBERA26LA143
Reported as: Cessna 172S
Reported engine: Lycoming IO-360-L2A
People aboard: 2
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificate: Private pilot
Pilot’s flight hours: 166 total20 in this make and model10 in the last 90 days

N972WWRegistered now · Cessna 172SS/N 172S9072 · Built 2002 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.

During an instructional flight, the CE-172 struck tree tops with right wing while on final aprroach to runway 31 at BQ1. A go around was executed. Pilots reported weather at time of accident as VMC with little to no wind. Aircraft returned to home airport and landed without further incident.

As the FAA filed it

DURING AN INSTRUCTIONAL FLIGHT, THE CE-172 STRUCK TREE TOPS WITH RIGHT WING WHILE ON FINAL APRROACH TO RUNWAY 31 AT BQ1. A GO AROUND WAS EXECUTED. PILOTS REPORTED WEATHER AT TIME OF ACCIDENT AS VMC WITH LITTLE TO NO WIND. AIRCRAFT RETURNED TO HOME AIRPORT AND LANDED WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT.

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 ERA26LA143Accident · No injuriesClass 4 · LimitedFinal reportCarthage, NCThe pilot’s failure to maintain clearance from trees while on final approach for landing. Contributing to the accident were the flight instructor’s inadequate remedial actions.Mar 1, 2026 · Substantial damage