Cessna 172N accident near Fuquay-Varina, North Carolina, September 26, 1997
On September 26, 1997 at about 7:10 pm local time, a Cessna 172N, registered N75522, was substantially damaged in an accident near Fuquay-Varina, North Carolina (Triple W airport). It was a personal 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 pilot's misjudged flare, improper level-off, and improper recovery from a bounced landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 26, 1997 · about 7:10 pm local time
- Place
- Fuquay-Varina, North Carolina · Triple W · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172N · all 172Ns on the register
- Registration
- N75522 · registry record · serial 17267779
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot stated he was coming in too fast on final approach. As he crossed the threshold, he began his flare and ballooned. He dropped the nose, landed, and bounced. He stated he then landed on the nose wheel and the aircraft flipped over.
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: 416 hours in all; 238 in this make and model; 2 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days; 296 as pilot in command; 136 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,061 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, September 8, 1997; 21 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: C & C Aircraft Services
The flight
- Departed from: 5W5
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 16, 3,004 ft by 40 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 110° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 20,000 ft; scat at 15,000 ft
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:51 pm from RDU
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.
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.