Cessna 172R accident near Burlington, Vermont, July 5, 2023
On July 5, 2023 at about 7:45 pm local time, a 1997 Cessna 172R, registered N64AF, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Burlington, Vermont (Burlington International Airpo airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The student pilot’s improper landing flare, which resulted in a hard, bounced landing and the flight instructor’s delayed remedial action.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 5, 2023 · about 7:45 pm local time
- Place
- Burlington, Vermont · Burlington International Airpo · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172R, built 1997 · all 172Rs on the register
- Registration
- N64AF · registry record · serial 17280069
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the flight instructor, the student pilot was a little high on the final approach for the short field landing, which resulted in a steeper approach. Before touch down, the student decreased the pitch attitude, and there was little to no flare. The airplane landed flat, bounced, then hit the nosewheel first as they touched down and bounced a second time. During the second bounce, both pilots heard a noise, the student felt a vibration in the rudder pedals, and initiated a go-around. The flight instructor assumed control of the airplane during climb out and confirmed there were no anomalies with the rudder system before transferring the controls back to the student. During the next landing, the flight instructor stated that the student flared a little high and the airplane ballooned before touchdown. During the landing roll, the airplane veered to the right and neither pilot was able to maintain directional control. The nose landing gear collapsed as both pilots applied the brakes. The airplane impacted a taxiway light and came to rest on the runway. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the firewall and lower fuselage at the nose landing gear support structure. Based on the pilot’s statements it is likely the nose landing gear was compromised during the first landing attempt. The flight instructor reported that there were no anomalies with the airplane before the first landing. He added that the accident could have been prevented if they had performed a go-around if a stabilized approach was not established.
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
- Hard landing during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Experience/knowledge › Training › Training with equipment › Student/instructed pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › (general) › (general) › Incorrect use/operation
- Environmental issues › Task environment › (general) › (general) › Ability to respond/compensate
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Instructor/check pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 261 hours in all; 122 in this make and model; 25 in the last 90 days; 12 in the last 30 days; 172 as pilot in command; 11 on instruments
- Last flight review: April 10, 2023
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 81 hours in all; 79 in this make and model; 16 in the last 90 days; 6 in the last 30 days; 8 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 13,302.5 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 31, 2023; 78.3 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-L2A (piston); 6,859 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: KBTV South Burlington VT at 6:17 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 01, 4,112 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 5,500 ft
- Temperature: 91°F (33°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 29.93 inHg
- Observation at 3:54 pm from KBTV
Weather report (METAR): KBTV 051954Z VRB03KT 10SM FEW055 FEW250 33/19 A2993 RMK AO2 SLP133 T03330194
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 |
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 N64AF the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number CEN23LA292.