Cessna 172S accident near East Haddam, Connecticut, May 24, 2010
On May 24, 2010 at about 9:30 pm local time, a Cessna 172S, registered N169ER, was substantially damaged in an accident during approach (VFR go-around) near East Haddam, Connecticut (Goodspeed airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's delayed decision to attempt a go-around, and his subsequent failure to maintain directional control while landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 24, 2010 · about 9:30 pm local time
- Place
- East Haddam, Connecticut · Goodspeed · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172S · all 172Ss on the register
- Registration
- N169ER · no longer on the register · serial 172S10416
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the pilot, he was attempting to land on runway 32, a 2,120-foot-long, 50-foot-wide, asphalt runway, when he realized he was going to land "long," and attempted a go-around. He applied full throttle; however, the airplane touched down about halfway down the runway, and veered to the left. The airplane departed the left side of runway, and came to rest on grass about 75 feet from the runway. The nose gear separated and the airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing and right horizontal stabilizer. The pilot stated that he did not experience any mechanical anomalies during the flight. He reported about 175 hours of total flight experience, all accumulated in the same make and model as the accident airplane. He also reported that winds at the time of the accident were from 200 degrees at 5 knots.
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
- Loss of control in flight during approach (VFR go-around) defining event
- Runway excursion during landing (flare/touchdown)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Delayed action › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 176 hours in all; 176 in this make and model; 8 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days; 82 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: June 18, 2009
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,045 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, May 5, 2010; 55 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-L2A (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Academy Of Aviation, LLC.
The flight
- Departed from: FRG Farmingdale NY at 8:50 pm
- Destination: 42B East Haddam CT
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 32, 2,120 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 190° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 3,900 ft
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.23 inHg
- Observation at 9:53 pm from HFD, 20 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.