- Date
- June 17, 2012, 17:30 local (21:30 UTC)
- Place
- Frederick, MD
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N387AFCessna 172S
- Defining event
- Landing: Hard landing
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report October 4, 2012
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Eastern Region Aviation
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20120617013559A
- Case key
- 84271
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The pilot's inadequate landing flare, which resulted in a hard landing.
Findings · 2
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
According to the pilot, his intent was to remain in the traffic pattern to practice takeoffs and landings on runway 23. During final approach, he had trouble maintaining alignment with the runway centerline. He applied power to correct the drift; however, the airplane impacted the runway left of centerline. The hard landing resulted in substantial damage to the firewall. The wind at the airport about the time of the accident was from 160 degrees at 9 knots. The pilot stated that there were no mechanical malfunctions or anomalies with the airplane.
Factual narrative
According to the pilot, his intent was to remain in the traffic pattern to practice takeoffs and landings on runway 23. During final approach he had trouble maintaining alignment with the runway centerline. He applied power to correct the drift; however, the airplane impacted the runway, left of centerline. The hard landing resulted in substantial damage to the firewall. The wind at the airport about the time of the accident was from 160 degrees at 9 knots. The pilot stated there were no mechanical malfunctions or anomalies with the airplane.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N387AF
- Reported as
- Cessna 172S
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 172S10387
- Airframe hours
- 2,159
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-360-L2A, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Kaufman Air Inc
- Registered owner
- Kaufman Air Inc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Utility; Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · June 6, 2012 · 20 hours before
- Departed
- FDK · Frederick, MD
- Destination
- FDK · Frederick, MD
- Airport
- FDK · Frederick, runway 23, 5,219 × 100 ft, asphalt
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 57
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- April 3, 2012
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 121 total · 31 in this make and model · 15 as pilot in command · 8 in the last 90 days · 1 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 210° at 6 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 81 °F, dew point 61 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.15 inHg
- Observed at
- FDK
Docket · 4
The files NTSB released with the investigation on August 1, 2012, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1.6 MB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N387AF · 2
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.