# NTSB investigations, KY: Hard landing

NTSB aviation accident and incident investigations since 1962: the probable cause, findings, aircraft, crew, weather and docket of each, linked to the FAA registry and the FAA’s own reports.

## Latest cases

- [NTSB ERA26LA254](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA26LA254.md): Rath Michael J Sonerai 2 · Cynthiana, KY · Accident · No injuries · Class 3 · Limited · Preliminary report · Jun 30, 2026 · N1406 · Substantial damage
  > On June 30, 2026, at about 1030 eastern daylight time, an experimental Sonerai 2 airplane, N1406, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Cynthiana, Kentucky. The pilot was not injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code…
- [NTSB ERA26LA018](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA26LA018.md): Cessna 177 · Cynthiana, KY · Accident · Serious injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report · Oct 16, 2025 · N159RJ · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's inadequate fuel planning and preflight inspection, which resulted in a total loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion and a forced landing. Contributing to the accident was the impact with powerlines during final approach.
- [NTSB ERA25LA101](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA25LA101.md): Cessna 172N · Mayfield, KY · Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report · Jan 9, 2025 · N4942G · Substantial damage
  > The student pilot’s improper landing flare, which resulted in a hard landing and nose landing gear collapse.
- [NTSB ERA25LA031](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA25LA031.md): Cessna 172 · Louisville, KY · Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report · Oct 8, 2024 · N640MG · Substantial damage
  > The pilot’s improper landing flare and control inputs, which resulted in a hard landing. Contributing was the flight instructor’s delayed remedial action.
- [NTSB ERA24LA352](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA24LA352.md): Cessna 172 · Danville, KY · Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report · Jul 19, 2024 · N9991E · Substantial damage
  > The pilot’s failure to maintain control of the airplane while landing and his inadequate communication to the pilot-rated passenger of her role during the flight.
- [NTSB ERA24LA035](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA24LA035.md): Piper PA18 · Tompkinsville, KY · Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report · Nov 4, 2023 · N4056Z · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's failure to maintain adequate airspeed during the approach, which resulted in a hard landing.
- [NTSB ERA23LA144](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA23LA144.md): Piper PA-28R-200 · Slaughters, KY · Accident · No injuries · Class 3 · Limited · Final report · Mar 2, 2023 · N9420N · Substantial damage
  > Maintenance personnel’s failure to secure the fuel strainer bowl with safety wire, which resulted in the fuel strainer bowl leaking and starving the engine of fuel. Also causal was the obstruction of two fuel injector nozzles.
- [NTSB ERA21LA185](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA21LA185.md): Cessna 182Q · Flemingsburg, KY · Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report · Mar 27, 2021 · N735LC · Substantial damage
  > The pilot’s improper recovery from a bounced landing, which resulted in a subsequent hard landing.
- [NTSB ERA20LA053](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA20LA053.md): Piper PA28 · Louisville, KY · Accident · No injuries · Class 3 · Limited · Final report · Dec 10, 2019 · N9097W · Substantial damage
  > The pilot’s improper flare to land, which resulted in a hard landing and the nose landing gear collapsing.
- [NTSB GAA20CA023](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA20CA023.md): Cessna 172 · Louisville, KY · Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report · Oct 15, 2019 · N6097G · Substantial damage
  > The student pilot's improper landing flare, which resulted in a porpoised landing, a subsequent hard landing on grass left of the runway, and a nose-over. Contributing to the accident was the student’s self-imposed pressure to land the airplane
- [NTSB CEN19LA199](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN19LA199.md): Zenair CH750 Stol · Paducah, KY · Accident · Serious injuries · Class 3 · Limited · Final report · Jun 29, 2019 · N170MV · Substantial damage
  > A stuck exhaust valve that resulted in a loss of engine power and a forced landing to rough terrain.
- [NTSB WPR18LA164](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR18LA164.md): Bell 206 · Sanders, KY · Accident · Minor injuries · Class 3 · Limited · Final report · Jun 5, 2018 · N518Z · Substantial damage
  > A partial loss of engine power for undetermined reasons, and a loss of main rotor rpm during the subsequent autorotation, which resulted in a hard landing.
- [NTSB GAA17CA263](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA17CA263.md): Piper PA28R · Frankfort, KY · Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report · May 7, 2017 · N33006 · Substantial damage
  > The pilot’s improper landing flare and subsequent failure to maintain directional control during the landing roll in gusting crosswind conditions.
- [NTSB GAA17CA254](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA17CA254.md): Cessna 172 · Columbia, KY · Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report · Apr 28, 2017 · N64144 · Substantial damage
  > The pilot’s failure to maintain a flare during landing in variable, gusting wind conditions.
- [NTSB ERA17LA103](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA17LA103.md): Eurocopter Deutschland EC 135 · Beattyville, KY · Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · Feb 7, 2017 · N135LG · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's failure to maintain helicopter control while landing, which resulted in a hard landing and subsequent roll over.
- [NTSB GAA17CA069](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA17CA069.md): Cessna 172 · Danville, KY · Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report · Nov 4, 2016 · N456SP · Substantial damage
  > The student pilot’s improper landing flare, which resulted in a hard landing.
- [NTSB ERA16CA290](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA16CA290.md): Kessinger Roger L Rans Coyote · London, KY · Accident · Serious injuries · Data collection · Final report · Aug 12, 2016 · N910RK · Substantial damage
  > The student pilot's improper recovery from a bounced landing and his subsequent failure to maintain clearance from trees during an attempted go-around.
- [NTSB GAA15CA054](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA15CA054.md): Bellanca 1730 - A · Campbellsville, KY · Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report · Apr 21, 2015 · N9523E · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's improper landing flare which resulted in a hard landing.
- [NTSB ERA13LA390](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA13LA390.md): Continental Copters 47G · Sandy Hook, KY · Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · Aug 31, 2013 · N6356X · Substantial damage
  > The in-flight disengagement of the tail rotor extension shaft from the tail rotor gearbox, resulting in a loss of tail rotor control.
- [NTSB ERA13CA154](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA13CA154.md): Cessna 172P · Bardstown, KY · Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report · Mar 4, 2013 · N89847 · Substantial damage
  > The student pilot’s improper flare during a crosswind landing, which resulted in a hard landing.
- [NTSB ERA12CA579](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA12CA579.md): Cessna 172P · Richmond, KY · Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report · Sep 25, 2012 · N53720 · Substantial damage
  > The student pilot's improper flare, which resulted in a hard landing, and the flight instructor's inadequate supervision of the student.
- [NTSB ERA11LA386](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA11LA386.md): Piper PA-32R-301 · Louisville, KY · Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · Jul 2, 2011 · N8319N · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's improper flare and inadequate recovery from a bounced landing, which resulted in a landing gear collapse.
- [NTSB NYC08LA251](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC08LA251.md): Holmes Arthur Orman Kitfox IV · Burkesville, KY · Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · Jul 17, 2008 · N70694 · Substantial damage
  > The total loss of engine power due to the installation of an engine oil filter that did not meet the engine manufacture's specifications.

## The whole list in SQL

Runs in DuckDB 1.2 or later on the release's Parquet files over HTTPS:

```sql
SELECT c."ntsbNumber", c."eventDate", c."eventType", c."eventCity", c."eventStateOrRegion", a.n_number, a."aircraftMake", a."aircraftModel", c."highestInjuryLevel", c."totalFatal", c."completionStatus", c.report_url
FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_case_detail.parquet' c LEFT JOIN 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_aircrafts.parquet' a ON a.case_mkey = c."mKey" AND a.position = 1
WHERE c."eventStateOrRegion" = 'KY' AND c."eventCountry" = 'USA'
  AND c."mKey" IN (SELECT s.case_mkey FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_events.parquet' s WHERE s."tier2Number" = '092' AND s.case_mkey IN (SELECT case_mkey FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_events.parquet' WHERE "isDefiningEvent"))
ORDER BY c."eventDate" DESC, c."ntsbNumber" DESC
```

This list as a web page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence?state=KY

---
OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.
