# NTSB investigations, PA: 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 ERA26LA353](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA26LA353.md): Roberts GS-2 Sportsman · Kerrtown, PA · Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Investigation open · Sep 24, 2026 · N390KC · Substantial damage
- [NTSB ERA25LA044](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA25LA044.md): Schweizer 269C-1 · Boalsburg, PA · Accident · No injuries · Class 3 · Limited · Final report · Nov 10, 2024 · N504JN · Substantial damage
  > A loss of engine power for reasons that could not be determined.
- [NTSB ERA25LA030](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA25LA030.md): Zenith Zodiac 601 HDS · Altoona, PA · Accident · No injuries · Class 3 · Limited · Final report · Oct 17, 2024 · N511JG · Substantial damage
  > The total loss of engine power due to fuel starvation as a result of a deteriorated gascolator gasket. Contributing was the failure of the mechanic to replace the gasket during the most recent condition inspection.
- [NTSB ERA24LA389](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA24LA389.md): Cessna 150 · Erie, PA · Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report · Sep 22, 2024 · N61232 · Substantial damage
  > The student pilot’s improper landing flare and subsequent improper recovery from a bounced landing and the flight instructor’s inadequate remedial action.
- [NTSB ERA24LA146](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA24LA146.md): Beech A23 24 · Somerset, PA · Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report · Mar 16, 2024 · N200AG · Substantial damage
  > The student pilot’s failure to maintain directional control, and the flight instructor’s lack of remedial action during a landing attempt in a gusty wind, which resulted in a loss of directional control and runway excursion.
- [NTSB ERA24LA132](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA24LA132.md): Piper PA-28RT-201 · Allentown, PA · Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report · Mar 8, 2024 · N3023K · Substantial damage
  > The pilot’s failure to maintain a proper descent rate during the final approach, resulting in a hard landing and collision with a runway edge light.
- [NTSB ERA23LA213](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA23LA213.md): Textron 172 · West Mifflin, PA · Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report · Apr 13, 2023 · N544TH · Substantial damage
  > The student pilot’s improper landing flare, and the flight instructor’s delayed remedial action, which resulted in a hard landing.
- [NTSB ERA22LA195](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA22LA195.md): Piper PA-32 · Carlisle, PA · Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report · Mar 18, 2022 · N4468X · Substantial damage
  > The pilot’s improper landing flare, which resulted in the airplane’s empennage impacting the runway surface during landing.
- [NTSB ERA22LA118](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA22LA118.md): Hiller UH-12E4 · Shrewsbury, PA · Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report · Feb 9, 2022 · N64741 · Substantial damage
  > The pilot’s failure to maintain control during the descent which resulted in a hard landing.
- [NTSB ERA22FA105](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA22FA105.md): Eurocopter Deutschland EC135 P2+ · Drexel Hill, PA · Accident · Serious injuries · Class 3 · Field · Final report · Jan 11, 2022 · N531LN · Substantial damage
  > An inflight attitude upset for undetermined reasons that resulted in a rotor system overspeed, a reduction of power from both engines, and a subsequent hard landing.
- [NTSB ERA22LA072](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA22LA072.md): Aeronca O58B · Jonestown, PA · Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report · Nov 18, 2021 · N47523 · Substantial damage
  > The pilot’s incorrect glide path and landing flare, which resulted in a collision with obstacles on final approach and a hard landing.
- [NTSB ERA21LA351](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA21LA351.md): Piper PA-28-180 · Philadelphia, PA · Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report · Sep 6, 2021 · N5166S · Substantial damage
  > The pilot’s exceedance of the wing’s critical angle of attack, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall and loss of aircraft control.
- [NTSB ERA21LA242](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA21LA242.md): Let L-23 Super Blanik · Pittsfield, PA · Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report · May 31, 2021 · N912B · Substantial damage
  > The student pilot’s improper landing flare, which resulted in a hard landing and loss of directional control.
- [NTSB ERA21LA268](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA21LA268.md): Cessna T210 · Bloomsburg, PA · Accident · Minor injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report · May 19, 2021 · N7568N · Substantial damage
  > The pilot’s unstable approach and delayed go-around attempt, which resulted in a porpoised landing, a nose landing gear collapse, and runway excursion.
- [NTSB GAA20CA089](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA20CA089.md): Cessna 172 · DuBois, PA · Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report · Nov 17, 2019 · N683SP · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's improper fuel management, which resulted in fuel starvation and a total loss of engine power, and his subsequent improper landing flare, which resulted in a hard, bounced landing. Contributing to the accident were the pilot's improper preflight…
- [NTSB GAA20CA079](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA20CA079.md): Piper PA28 · Quakertown, PA · Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report · Oct 19, 2019 · N2961W · Substantial damage
  > The student pilot's improper landing flare, which resulted in a hard, bounced landing, and his subsequent failure to maintain directional control, which resulted in a runway excursion and collision with a drainage culvert.
- [NTSB GAA19CA514](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA19CA514.md): Hughes 269A · Shamokin, PA · Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report · Aug 25, 2019 · N653CH · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's improper landing flare during an autorotation, which resulted in a hard landing. Contributing to the accident was a loss of engine power for reasons that could not be determined because postaccident examination revealed no evidence of any…
- [NTSB GAA18CA231](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA18CA231.md): Cessna 162 · York, PA · Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report · Apr 22, 2018 · N6020Y · Substantial damage
  > The pilot’s improper landing flare, which resulted in a hard, bounced landing and a nose landing gear collapse.
- [NTSB ERA17LA285](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA17LA285.md): Bell 47G · St Marys, PA · Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · Aug 20, 2017 · N9526 · Substantial damage
  > The student pilot's inadequate prefight planning and en route fuel management, which resulted in fuel exhaustion and a total loss of engine power.
- [NTSB GAA17CA293](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA17CA293.md): Piper PA 34 · Tunkhannock, PA · Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report · May 18, 2017 · N34JM · Substantial damage
  > The pilot’s failure to maintain adequate airspeed and his exceedance of the airplane’s critical angle of attack during landing in crosswind conditions, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall.
- [NTSB ERA17LA046](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA17LA046.md): Robinson Helicopter R22 · West Chester, PA · Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · Nov 15, 2016 · N306RL · Substantial damage
  > The flight instructor's decision to continue the practice autorotation in known gusting wind conditions, which resulted in a hard landing and roll over.
- [NTSB ERA16LA224](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA16LA224.md): Cessna 172P · Honesdale, PA · Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · Jun 20, 2016 · N54285 · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's failure to maintain adequate airspeed while departing in a heavily loaded airplane at high density altitude, which resulted in the airplane exceeding its critical angle of attack and experiencing an aerodynamic stall, landing hard, and overrunning…
- [NTSB GAA16CA315](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA16CA315.md): Seela Gerald L Glasair SH 2F · State College, PA · Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report · Jun 8, 2016 · N666GJ · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's hard landing in gusting wind conditions. Contributing to the accident were the pilot's unfamiliarity with the newly purchased airplane's throttle resulting in an unstable approach, and the pilot's ability to compensate for the wind.
- [NTSB ERA16LA167](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA16LA167.md): Bell 47D1 · Myerstown, PA · Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · Apr 20, 2016 · N202CH · Substantial damage
  > A total loss of engine power for reasons that could not be determined because examination of the engine revealed no mechanical anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.
- [NTSB ERA16CA060](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA16CA060.md): Eurocopter Deutschland EC 135 · Monongahela, PA · Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report · Nov 6, 2015 · N639ME · Substantial damage
  > The inadequate securing of the wheeled fire extinguisher's cover which resulted in it being blown off of the fire extinguisher and ingested into the helicopter's fenestron during takeoff, resulting in a loss of directional control.
- [NTSB GAA15CA119](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA15CA119.md): Cessna 172R · Beaver Falls, PA · Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report · May 28, 2015 · N984WU · Substantial damage
  > The student pilot's failure to maintain airplane attitude control during the landing, resulting in a hard landing.
- [NTSB GAA15CA099](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA15CA099.md): Cessna 172 - R · State College, PA · Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report · May 28, 2015 · N2254U · Substantial damage
  > The student pilot's failure to maintain adequate airspeed during the approach to landing which resulted in an aerodynamic stall and a hard landing.
- [NTSB ERA14LA290](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA14LA290.md): Cameron Balloons US Z-225 · Spring City, PA · Accident · 1 fatal · Limited investigation · Final report · Jun 15, 2014 · N65625 · No damage
  > The pilot's fall from the balloon’s basket during touchdown in a field for reasons that could not be determined based on the available evidence, which resulted in his fatal injury.
- [NTSB ERA14CA273](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA14CA273.md): Cessna 172S · Harrisburg, PA · Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report · May 23, 2014 · N193ME · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's failure to compensate for wind conditions during landing, which resulted in a hard landing.
- [NTSB ERA14CA031](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA14CA031.md): Schweizer SGS 1 26E · Eighty Four, PA · Accident · Serious injuries · Data collection · Final report · Oct 19, 2013 · N2997H · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's failure to maintain proper airspeed and glide path, which resulted in an overshoot, a hard landing, and a subsequent collision with terrain. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's lack of total experience in make and model.
- [NTSB ERA13CA357](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA13CA357.md): Piper PA-34-200T · West Mifflin, PA · Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report · Aug 4, 2013 · N75131 · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's improper landing flare, which resulted in a hard landing.
- [NTSB ERA13LA288](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA13LA288.md): Hagerty RV-7A · Altoona, PA · Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · Jun 15, 2013 · N954CH · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's improper recovery from an encounter with a wind gust during landing, which resulted in a hard landing on, and displacement of, the nose landing gear and a subsequent runway excursion and noseover.
- [NTSB ERA13LA212](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA13LA212.md): Cameron Balloons US Z-225 · Chester Springs, PA · Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · Apr 21, 2013 · N65625 · Minor damage
  > The pilot's failure to extinguish the burner pilot lights prior to a hard landing in windy conditions.
- [NTSB ERA12CA443](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA12CA443.md): Evektor-Aerotechnik Sportstar Plus · Lancaster, PA · Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report · Jul 2, 2012 · N182EV · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's attempt to secure an open canopy during takeoff, which resulted in a loss of control and subsequent hard landing.
- [NTSB ERA11CA366](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA11CA366.md): Champion 7FC · Wellsville, PA · Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report · Jun 18, 2011 · N7583E · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's failure to maintain adequate airspeed on final approach which resulted in an aerodynamic stall.
- [NTSB ERA11CA227](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA11CA227.md): Cessna 150A · Factoryville, PA · Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report · Apr 2, 2011 · N7225X · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's inadequate flare during the gusty crosswind landing, which resulted in a hard landing.
- [NTSB ERA10CA075](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA10CA075.md): Schweizer 269C-1 · Lebanon, PA · Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report · Nov 20, 2009 · N321ET · Substantial damage
  > The pilot’s failure to arrest the helicopter descent during the simulated engine out maneuver resulting in a hard landing.
- [NTSB ERA09FA414](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA09FA414.md): Hughes 369 · Franklin, PA · Accident · 1 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · Jul 22, 2009 · N61735 · Substantial damage
  > A loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion as a result of the pilot's fuel mismanagement.
- [NTSB ERA09LA410](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA09LA410.md): Robinson R44 · Silver Spring, PA · Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · Jul 19, 2009 · N25VH · Substantial damage
  > The student pilot's inability to fully control the helicopter, during cruise and the resultant off-field hard landing.
- [NTSB ERA09CA341](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA09CA341.md): Diamond Aircraft Ind DA 40 · West Chester, PA · Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report · Jun 13, 2009 · N659PS · Substantial damage
  > The student pilot’s improper recovery from a bounced landing. Contributing to the accident was the flight instructor’s inadequate remedial action.
- [NTSB ERA09CA287](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA09CA287.md): Piper PA-28-140 · Danville, PA · Accident · Serious injuries · Data collection · Final report · May 11, 2009 · N8403R · Minor damage
  > The student pilot's failure to maintain control during a landing.
- [NTSB ERA09CA404](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA09CA404.md): Cessna 172 · York, PA · Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report · Apr 13, 2009 · N144ME · Substantial damage
  > The student pilot's improper recovery from a bounced landing.
- [NTSB MIA08CA192](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA08CA192.md): Beech G-36 · Erie, PA · Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report · Sep 11, 2008 · N710ND · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's improper landing flare resulting in a hard landing. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's improper preflight inspection of the fuel caps and his improper inflight fuel management, which led to a loss of engine power.
- [NTSB NYC08FA307](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC08FA307.md): Lindstrand Balloons 150A · Phoenixville, PA · Accident · 1 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · Sep 7, 2008 · N844LB · Substantial damage
  > The separation of a portion of a fuel fitting during a hard landing resulting in release of fuel and a fire in the balloons basket area. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's failure to follow the manufacturer's published procedures to shut down the…
- [NTSB NYC08CA216](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC08CA216.md): Schweizer S6S 2-33 · Mercer, PA · Accident · Minor injuries · Data collection · Final report · Jun 15, 2008 · N5714S · Substantial damage
  > The private pilot's improper aircraft handling.

## 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" = 'PA' 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=PA

---
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.
