Textron 172 N544TH

Summary

On 13 April 2023 at about 20:00 local time, a Textron 172 registered N544TH, operated by Pittsburgh Flight Training Center, was involved in an accident near West Mifflin, Pennsylvania, 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

13 April 2023 at 20:00

Classification

Accident

Location

West Mifflin, Pennsylvania, United States

Nearest airport

Allegheny County (AGC)

Coordinates

40.3543, -79.9286

Aircraft

Textron 172

Registration

N544TH

Category

Airplane

Year built

2018

Engines

1

Operator

Pittsburgh Flight Training Center

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Instructional

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ERA23LA213

Nobody was injured.

The student pilot’s improper landing flare, and the flight instructor’s delayed remedial action, 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 student pilot reported that at about 8 to 10 ft above the ground the flight instructor shouted “FLARE, FLARE, FLARE!” The volume and intensity of the command startled the student pilot who pulled back sharply on the yoke and the airplane stalled. The flight instructor subsequently took control of the airplane and before he could take corrective action the airplane impacted the ground resulting in substantial damage to the lower fuselage. The flight instructor’s account of the event was similar to the student pilot’s. The operator 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.