# NTSB NYC04CA175: Cessna 182R, N9476X, Mitchellville, MD, July 22, 2004

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report
- Date: July 21, 2004, 22:15 local (Jul 22, 2004, 02:15 UTC)
- Place: Mitchellville, MD
- Coordinates: 38.946666, -76.776107
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=38.9467&lon=-76.7761&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 2 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report October 28, 2004
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- Parties: FAA FSDO Baltimore
- NTSB case key (mKey): 59713
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=NYC04CA175
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/59713/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC04CA175

## Probable cause

The private pilot's inadequate flare, and the CFI's delayed remedial action, which resulted in an inadvertent stall/mush and hard landing.  A factor related to the accident was the night conditions.

## Sequence of events

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

- Hard landing, landing - flare/touchdown
  - light condition - night (contributing factor)
  - flare - improper, pilot in command (cause)
  - remedial action - delayed, pilot in command(cfi) (cause)
  - airspeed - inadequate, pilot in command(cfi) (cause)
  - stall/mush - inadvertent, pilot in command
- In flight collision with terrain/water, landing - flare/touchdown
  - terrain condition - runway

## Analysis

During an instructional flight with a certificated flight instructor for a night checkout, the private pilot flared "a little high," and the airplane stalled about 20 feet above the runway.  The airplane touched down hard on the runway, and came to rest upright.

## Factual narrative

On July 21, 2004, at 2215 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 182R, N9476X, was substantially damaged while landing at the Freeway Airport, Mitchellville, Maryland.  The certified flight instructor (CFI) and certificated private pilot were not injured.  Night visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the local instructional flight conducted under 14 CFR Part 91.

According to the CFI, the private pilot was at the controls for the night checkout flight.  While landing on runway 18, a 2,400-foot-long lighted asphalt runway, the private pilot flared "a little high," and the airplane stalled about 20 feet above the runway.  The airplane touched down hard on the runway, and came to rest upright.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N9476X](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N9476X), registered now, S/N 18268536, built 1985 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: Cessna 182R
- Registry model: [Cessna 182R](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-182r) (registry code 2072731) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Continental O-470 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-o-470-series) (registry code 17026, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 18268536
- Airframe hours: 3696
- Engines: Continental O-470 230 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Instructional, Part 91
- Registered owner: Civil Air Patrol
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: Annual, March 7, 2004, 80 hours before
- Departed: FME, Fort Meade, MD
- Destination: W00, Mitchellville, MD
- Flight plan: VFR
- Airport: W00, Freeway Airport, runway 18, 2,400 × 30 ft, asphalt

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Flight instructor; age 43; injuries: none; commercial, flight instructor; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; last flight review October 3, 2003; seat: right; flight hours: 844 total, 75 in this make and model
- Pilot; age 27; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; last flight review December 21, 2003; seat: left; flight hours: 147 total, 10 in this make and model

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Night
- Wind: variable at 5 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 75 °F, dew point 66 °F
- Altimeter: 29.96 inHg
- Observed at: ADW

## 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 20040721035669A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20040721035669A), Jul 21, 2004: Cessna 182R, Mitchellville, MD, Substantial damage. (-23) Pilot was receiving duel night instruction. Pilot flared too high and dropped in from about 15'. Flight instructor was [privacy data omitted]

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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