Cessna 172 accident near York, Pennsylvania, April 13, 2009
On April 13, 2009 at about 8:50 pm local time, a Cessna 172, registered N144ME, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near York, Pennsylvania (York 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The student pilot's improper recovery from a bounced landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 13, 2009 · about 8:50 pm local time
- Place
- York, Pennsylvania · York Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172 S · all 172s on the register
- Registration
- N144ME · registry record · serial 172S8428
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the student pilot, the first landing attempt of the solo cross country flight resulted in a go-around. During his second attempt, the student pilot landed the airplane about one-third of the way down the 5,188-foot runway, "hard but smooth (not a bounce);" however, the airplane subsequently became airborne. The student pilot landed the airplane once more, and although he believed the “plane had safely and completely landed,” it became airborne yet again. At that point, the student pilot felt a go-around was not possible, and "pulled back" on the flight controls. The airplane then "probably stalled and dropped to the runway," the nose landing gear collapsed, and damage to the engine firewall and left wing resulted. Winds at the time were variable at 4 knots. No preaccident mechanical anomalies were noted by the student pilot.
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) defining event
- Loss of control in flight during landing
- Landing gear collapse during landing (landing roll)
- Hard landing during landing
- Landing gear collapse during landing
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Incorrect action performance › Student pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Landing flare › Incorrect use/operation
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 48 hours in all; 48 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Unknown (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,363 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, February 17, 2009; 24 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,500 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-L2A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: JYO Leesburg VA at 8:00 pm
- Destination: THV York PA
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 35, 5,188 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 54°F (12°C), dew point 21°F (-6°C)
- Altimeter: 30.05 inHg
- Observation at 8:53 pm from THV
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.
Other NTSB records under N144ME 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 ERA09CA404.