Cessna 172 accident near Gary, Indiana, September 4, 2004
On September 4, 2004 at about 11:42 pm local time, a Cessna 172, registered N2355E, was substantially damaged in an accident near Gary, Indiana (Gary 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 failure of the nose wheel for undetermined reasons. A factor associated with the accident was the student pilot's failure to properly flare the airplane.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 4, 2004 · about 11:42 pm local time
- Place
- Gary, Indiana · Gary · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172 · all 172s on the register
- Registration
- N2355E · registry record · serial 17271248
- 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 failure of the nose wheel during a landing. The student reported she made three takeoffs and landings with her flight instructor in the airplane. He then deplaned and she continued to practice more takeoffs and landings. She stated that everything was normal on the fifth solo landing until she heard a loud noise as the nose wheel touched down on the runway. She stated the airplane veered right and came to an abrupt stop. The student pilot exited the airplane and noticed the nose tire was flat, the wheel rim was missing, and the propeller had contacted the runway. During a telephone interview the student pilot stated the landing was not the smoothest one she has made, nor was it the hardest. When asked if the main gear or nose gear touched the runway first, she stated she believes that all three gear touched down at the same time. Pieces of the wheel which were collected off the runway were sent to the National Transportation Safety Board Materials Laboratory for examination. The Materials Laboratory examination revealed the pieces that were examined contained features that were consistent with overstress fractures. However, the pieces received did not make up the entire wheel.
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: 55 hours in all; 55 in this make and model; 16 in the last 90 days; 7 in the last 30 days; 4 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,860 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 30, 2004; 15 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-H2AO (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Aviation Professionals, Inc.
The flight
- Departed from: GYY Gary IN at 11:15 pm
- Destination: GYY Gary IN
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 12, 6,290 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 040° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 9,000 ft
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 30.07 inHg
- Observation at 11:50 pm from GYY
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.