- Date
- May 29, 2004, 12:30 local (16:30 UTC)
- Place
- Worcester, MA
- Injuries
- 1 serious
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N73704Cessna 172M
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 1, 2004
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- Windsor Locks FSDO
- FAA report
- 20040529017209A
- Case key
- 59353
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 improper recovery from a bounced landing, and his inadequate compensation for wind conditions. A factor in the accident was the gusting wind.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
According to the pilot, while landing on runway 29, he crossed the threshold at an airspeed of 75 knots, to compensate for wind gusts. At an altitude about 25-30 feet above the ground, he felt all lift dissipate, and the airplane dropped to the pavement. The airplane then bounced on the runway, and the pilot heard the stall warning horn. He then applied full power and initiated a go-around. At the same time, the left wing dropped and the airplane impacted the ground.
Factual narrative
On May 29, 2004, approximately 1230 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 172M, N73704, was substantially damaged while landing at the Worcester Regional Airport (ORH), Worcester, Massachusetts. The certificated private pilot received serious injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed for the local personal flight conducted under 14 CFR Part 91.
According to the pilot, while landing on runway 29, he crossed the threshold at an airspeed of 75 knots, to compensate for wind gusts. At an altitude about 25-30 feet above the ground, he felt all lift "instantaneously go away," and the airplane dropped to the pavement "like a stone." The airplane then bounced on the runway, and the pilot heard the stall warning horn. He then applied full power and initiated a go-around. At the same time, the left wing dropped and the airplane impacted the ground.
The winds reported at ORH, at 1254, were from 290 degrees, at 21 knots, gusting to 27 knots.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N73704
- Reported as
- Cessna 172M
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 17267617
- Airframe hours
- 7,285
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320, 160 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Amity Flight School
- Registered owner
- Capuano LLC
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · April 21, 2004 · 55 hours before
- Departed
- ORH · Worcester, MA
- Destination
- ORH
- Airport
- ORH · Worcester Regional Airport, runway 29, 7,000 × 150 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
- 53
- Injuries
- Serious
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Last flight review
- December 24, 2002
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 170 total · 46 in this make and model · 99 as pilot in command · 11 in the last 90 days · 4 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 290° at 21 knots, gusting 27
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 55 °F, dew point 28 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.87 inHg
- Observed at
- ORH
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.