Cessna 140 accident near Franklin, Indiana, July 10, 2010
On July 10, 2010 at about 9:15 pm local time, a Cessna 140, registered N72609, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Franklin, Indiana (Woods Field 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 improper touchdown point and excessive braking, which resulted in a nose over.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 10, 2010 · about 9:15 pm local time
- Place
- Franklin, Indiana · Woods Field Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 140 · all 140s on the register
- Registration
- N72609 · registry record · serial 9785
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the pilot, as he was landing, "the airplane would not touchdown as quickly as normal" and he missed his intended landing point. The pilot determined that there was still sufficient runway to continue the landing. The airplane touched down approximately halfway down the runway. The pilot applied the brakes in order to not overrun the runway and the airplane nosed over. A postaccident examination of the airplane revealed the vertical stabilizer and rudder were bent. The pilot reported no anomalies with the airplane.
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
What happened, in order
- Landing area overshoot during landing (landing roll)
- Loss of control on ground during landing defining event
- Nose over/nose down during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › (general) › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 100 hours in all; 76 in this make and model; 3 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days; 34 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: May 3, 2009
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,547 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 1, 2009
- Maximum gross weight: 1,450 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Cont Motor C85 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: GEZ Shelbyville IN at 8:45 pm
- Destination: 63II Franklin IN
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18, 1,650 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 9,500 ft; scat at 5,500 ft
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.97 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.