Cessna 172 N3947R

Summary

On 23 March 2017 at about 19:30 local time, a Cessna 172 registered N3947R, operated by S&C Aviation of NC, LLC, was involved in an accident near Timberlake, North Carolina, United States. One person was 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

23 March 2017 at 19:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Timberlake, North Carolina, United States

Nearest airport

Person County (TDF)

Coordinates

36.2864, -78.9819

Aircraft

Cessna 172

Registration

N3947R

Category

Airplane

Year built

1966

Engines

1

Operator

S&C Aviation of NC, LLC

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Instructional

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Roxboro → Roxboro

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

GAA17CA206

Nobody was injured.

The student pilot’s failure to maintain pitch control during the landing flare with a tailwind, which resulted in a propeller strike.

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, during the landing flare, he "felt a big push from behind," which resulted in a propeller strike and substantial damage to the fuselage. The student pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. A review of recorded data from the automated weather observation station located on the airport revealed that, at the time of the accident, the wind was from 190° at 3 knots. The airplane landed on runway 6.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.