Cessna 172 N73101

Summary

On 25 September 2016 at about 15:45 local time, a Cessna 172 registered N73101 was involved in an accident near Pittsfield, Massachusetts, United States. One person was on board and one was seriously injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

25 September 2016 at 15:45

Classification

Accident

Location

Pittsfield, Massachusetts, United States

Nearest airport

Pittsfield Muni (PSF)

Coordinates

42.4275, -73.2925

Aircraft

Cessna 172

Registration

N73101

Category

Airplane

Year built

1976

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Instructional

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Oxford → Pittsfield

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

GAA16CA515

1 person was seriously injured.

The student pilot’s failure to maintain an appropriate descent rate and runway alignment during the landing flare, which resulted in the airplane touching down left of the runway and impacting a ditch.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

The solo student pilot reported that on final, following a cross-country flight, "It was really bumpy", the airplane was at a "pretty steep angle", and the stall warning horn was "really going crazy". He further reported that he tried to avoid a stall, and lowered the nose of the airplane, and the airplane touched down to the left of the runway unexpectedly. The airplane continued to the left of the runway and impacted a ditch. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage. The student pilot reported no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.