Cessna 172R accident near Batavia, Ohio, March 17, 2008
On March 17, 2008 at about 4:30 pm local time, a Cessna 172R, registered N53417, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Batavia, Ohio. 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 misjudgment of the landing flare and her inadequate recovery from the bounced landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 17, 2008 · about 4:30 pm local time
- Place
- Batavia, Ohio · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172R · all 172Rs on the register
- Registration
- N53417 · registry record · serial 17281162
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The student pilot stated that she was practicing touch-and-goes on runway 4 (3,568 feet by 75 feet, asphalt) as part of a solo instructional flight when the accident occurred. She noted that the winds were variable and gusty, and it was "choppy" in the pattern. The accident occurred on what was to be the final landing for the day. The pilot reported that the airplane was established on final approach about 65 knots. The airplane was slightly low, but she did not feel the need to correct the glide path. The airplane touched down and its nose suddenly turned to the left. As the nose went to the left, the airplane bounced. She "gently lowered the nose, but the plane bounced again and again." Her efforts to regain control were not successful and the airplane ultimately came to rest in a grass area to the left side of the runway. The nose landing gear collapsed during the accident sequence. A post accident inspection did not reveal any anomalies consistent with a pre-impact failure or malfunction. Archived weather information was not available for the accident airport. Winds recorded at an airport about 10 miles north of the accident airport were from 110 degrees at 9 knots. The pilot reported a total flight time of 97.5 hours. She had accumulated a total of 5.8 hours as pilot-in-command (PIC) and 2.3 hours as PIC in the same make and model aircraft.
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
- Abnormal runway contact during landing (flare/touchdown)
- Loss of control on ground during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
- Runway excursion during landing (landing roll)
- Landing gear collapse during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Landing flare › Incorrect use/operation
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Incorrect action performance › Pilot
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 98 hours in all; 95 in this make and model; 23 in the last 90 days; 14 in the last 30 days; 6 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: March 1, 2008
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,297 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, March 1, 2008
- Maximum gross weight: 2,757 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-L2A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: I69 Batavia OH at 3:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 04, 3,658 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 110° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 10,000 ft
- Temperature: 43°F (6°C), dew point 23°F (-5°C)
- Altimeter: 30.45 inHg
- Observation at 4:53 pm from LUK, 10 miles away
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.