# NTSB NYC04CA164: Cessna 172S, N421RW, Stevensville, MD, June 30, 2004

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report
- Date: June 30, 2004, 11:20 local (15:20 UTC)
- Place: Stevensville, MD
- Coordinates: 38.976387, -76.329719
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=38.9764&lon=-76.3297&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 1 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report September 29, 2004
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 59614
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=NYC04CA164
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/59614/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC04CA164

## Probable cause

The pilot's improper flare during touch down, which resulted in a hard landing.

## Sequence of events

In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf).

- Hard landing, landing - flare/touchdown
  - flare - improper, pilot in command (cause)
- On ground/water encounter with terrain/water, landing - flare/touchdown
  - terrain condition - runway

## Analysis

While landing on runway 11, the pilot's flare was insufficient, which resulted in a hard touch down.  The airplane then bounced once, and touched down hard a second time, on the nose gear.

## Factual narrative

On June 30, 2004, about 1120 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 172S, N421RW, was substantially damaged while landing at Bay Bridge Airport (W29), Stevensville, Maryland.  The certificated private pilot was not injured.   Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the flight that departed Tipton Airport (FME), Odenton, Maryland.  A visual flight rules flight plan was filed for the personal flight conducted under 14 CFR Part 91.

The pilot stated that while landing on runway 11, his flare was insufficient, which resulted in a hard touch down.  The airplane then bounced once, and touched down hard a second time, on the nose gear.  The hard landing resulted in a buckled firewall and bent propeller.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N421RW](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N421RW), registered now, S/N 172S9593, built 2004 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: Cessna 172S
- Registry model: [Cessna 172S](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172s) (registry code 2072439) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Lycoming IO-360-L2A](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-io-360-l2a) (registry code 41597, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 172S9593
- Engines: Lycoming IO-360 reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Operator: Capital Air
- Registered owner: RLKK Holdings Llc.
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Departed: FME, Odenton, MD
- Destination: W29, Stevensville, MD
- Flight plan: VFR
- Airport: W29, Bay Bridge Airport, runway 11, 2,903 × 60 ft, asphalt

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 51; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; flight hours: 78 total, 78 in this make and model, 1 as pilot in command, 36 in the last 90 days, 11 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: variable at 3 knots
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 81 °F, dew point 55 °F
- Altimeter: 30.19 inHg
- Observed at: BWI, 25 nm away

## FAA reports on this event (1)

The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs).

- [Accident 20040630018159A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20040630018159A), Jun 30, 2004: Cessna 172S, Stevensville, MD, Minor damage. (-23) Normal pattern an approach to landing. Insufficient flare with bounce on main wheels and followed by a second hard landing bounce. Damaged limted to…

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

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