Cessna 172P accident near Hatteras, North Carolina, April 7, 1991
On April 7, 1991 at about 4:10 pm local time, a Cessna 172P, registered N62340, was substantially damaged in an accident near Hatteras, North Carolina (Billy Mitchell airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S IMPROPER LANDING FLARE, SUBSEQUENT INADVERTENT PORPOISE, AND HIS FAILURE TO EXECUTE A BOUNCED LANDING RECOVERY.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 7, 1991 · about 4:10 pm local time · cases in 1991
- Place
- Hatteras, North Carolina · Billy Mitchell · cases near this airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172P · all 172Ps on the register
- Registration
- N62340 · registry record · serial 17275252
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE LOW TIME PRIVATE PILOT WAS ON A CROSS-COUNTRY FLIGHT WITH THREE PASSENGERS. ON LANDING THE AIRPLANE BOUNCED, PORPOISED, & TOUCHED DOWN AGAIN ON THE NOSE LANDING GEAR. THE LANDING GEAR COLLAPSED REARWARD.
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
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 70 hours in all; 3 in this make and model; 11 in the last 90 days; 11 in the last 30 days; 45 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-D2J (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Fayetteville Air Service
The flight
- Departed from: FAY Fayetteville NC at 2:20 pm
- Destination: 8W5 Hatteras NC
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 24, 2,997 ft by 76 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 300° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:50 pm from 8W5, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N62340 on the register today · the tail number may have moved to another aircraft since
- Cessna 172 Skyhawk 20,680 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Cessna 72,684 aircraft on the register
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-D2J 96 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Apex Airpark · nearest airport
- Fayetteville Rgnl/Grannis Field · departed from
- Accidents and incidents in North Carolina 1,762 since 1982 · 305 in the last ten years
- North Carolina 7,117 aircraft registered
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/ATL91LA082.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.