Cessna 172S accident near Fishers, Indiana, June 26, 2004
On June 26, 2004 at about 4:50 pm local time, a Cessna 172S, registered N229ME, was substantially damaged in an accident near Fishers, Indiana (Indianapolis Metropolitan 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 pilot's inadequate remedial actions after an inadequate landing flare and subsequent hard landing. Additional causes were the pilot-induced porpoise and the collapse of the nose landing gear.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 26, 2004 · about 4:50 pm local time
- Place
- Fishers, Indiana · Indianapolis Metropolitan · 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
- N229ME · registry record · serial 172S8483
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane experienced a hard landing, which was followed by a pilot-induced porpoise and the collapse of the nose landing gear. The student pilot was flying solo at the time of the accident. The pilot reported he crossed the runway threshold approximately 100 feet above ground level, and then reduced engine power to idle to initiate the descent to the runway. The pilot stated that during the landing flare the airplane touched down with a "mild impact," which was followed by the airplane bouncing back into the air. The pilot reported he continued to flare, with no addition of engine power, and the second touchdown was "harder than the first." The pilot stated, "No correction action attempted and third touchdown broke nose wheel, prop hit pavement and plane came to stop." He reported the accident could have been prevented if he had performed a go-around after experiencing the initial hard touchdown and subsequent bounce.
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: student
- Flight time: 70 hours in all; 70 in this make and model; 42 in the last 90 days; 24 in the last 30 days; 18 as pilot in command; 0 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,779.3 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 27, 2004; 34.6 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-L2A (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Indianapolis Aviation, Inc.
The flight
- Departed from: UMP Fishers IN at 3:00 pm
- Destination: UMP Fishers IN
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 33, 3,850 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 300° at 11 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 6,000 ft
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 30.14 inHg
- Observation at 4:53 pm from EYE, 13 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 N229ME 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.