Cessna 172 N6208C

Summary

On 17 August 2025 at about 07:00 local time, a Cessna 172 registered N6208C was involved in an accident near Baltimore, Maryland, 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

17 August 2025 at 07:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Baltimore, Maryland, United States

Nearest airport

Martin State (MTN)

Coordinates

39.3300, -76.4194

Aircraft

Cessna 172

Registration

N6208C

Category

Airplane

Year built

2008

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Raleigh/Durham → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Night

NTSB number

ERA25LA306

Nobody was injured.

The pilot’s inadequate landing flare at night, 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 was returning to his home airport at night following a personal cross-country flight. He reported that before departure, he completed the preflight and before takeoff checks with no anomalies noted. The takeoff, enroute, and approach phases of the flight were uneventful. He stated that after completing a practice instrument approach, and during the landing flare, the elevator control was restricted and not fully effective. The airplane subsequently touched down flat, and during taxi to parking, the pilot noted a “wobbly” nosewheel. After shutdown, he observed damage to the nosewheel, restricted elevator control movement, and abnormal trim wheel operation. Examination of the airplane by the operator and an FAA inspector revealed that the airplane sustained substantial damage to firewall and lower fuselage. The inspector noted that the elevator control pivot point near the lower fuselage impact damage was bent, which restricted the elevator control yoke movement. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. Due to the pilot’s reported preflight flight control checks, which would have confirmed free and correct movement, and the postaccident examination that revealed no mechanical anomalies, it is likely that the elevator control binding resulted from damage sustained during the hard landing.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.