Cessna 172 N737RT

Summary

On 17 February 2017 at about 16:50 local time, a Cessna 172 registered N737RT was involved in an accident near Naples, Florida, United States. 2 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

17 February 2017 at 16:50

Classification

Accident

Location

Naples, Florida, United States

Nearest airport

Naples Muni (APF)

Coordinates

26.1483, -81.7747

Aircraft

Cessna 172

Registration

N737RT

Category

Airplane

Year built

1977

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Naples → Naples

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

GAA17CA180

Nobody was injured.

The pilot’s failure to maintain pitch control, which resulted in a hard landing.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot on the controls reported that, during landing while about 70 knots, the airplane buffeted and was pushed to the right of the runway centerline. The pilot recovered and realigned the airplane with the nose on the centerline. He reported that, when he entered the flare, the airplane encountered another wind gust, and the airplane ballooned. The airplane descended and pitched down and landed hard on the nose gear. The propeller struck the ground, and the pilot landed the airplane without further incident. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the firewall. The METAR reported that the wind was variable at 05 knots about the time of the accident. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.