Cessna 172S accident near Batavia, New York, June 15, 2007
On June 15, 2007 at about 11:30 pm local time, a Cessna 172S, registered N2228L, was substantially damaged in an accident near Batavia, New York (Genesee County Airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The student pilot's failure to flare the airplane during landing resulting in a hard landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 15, 2007 · about 11:30 pm local time
- Place
- Batavia, New York · Genesee County Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172S · all 172Ss on the register
- Registration
- N2228L · no longer on the register · serial 172S10027
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The student pilot stated he lowered the flaps to 20 degrees and was high on final approach for landing. He pulled the power off, lowered the nose of the airplane to maintain airspeed, and descended down to about 3 to 4 feet above the runway. He stated he failed to flare the airplane, the airplane landed hard, and bounced. He applied power, and the airplane settled down onto the runway, and bounced again. He pulled the power off, the airplane bounced again before touching down firmly on the runway. He taxied to the ramp and shut the airplane down. Upon exiting the airplane he noticed the propeller had collided with the runway. Further examination of the airplane on the following day revealed the cabin floor was buckled. The student pilot stated he did not have any mechanical problems with the airplane before the accident. When asked what caused the accident the student pilot stated, "An improper flare resulting in the nose wheel colliding with the runway."
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 36 hours in all; 34 in this make and model; 11 in the last 90 days; 9 in the last 30 days; 1 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 646 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 1, 2007; 61 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,558 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-360-L2A (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Executive Aviation
The flight
- Departed from: KGVQ Batavia NC at 9:10 pm
- Destination: KGVQ
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 10, 5,000 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 260° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 77°F (25°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 29.80 inHg
- Observation at 10:54 pm from KROC, 22 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Other NTSB records under N2228L the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.