Cessna 172 accident near White Plains, New York, July 24, 2010
On July 24, 2010 at about 4:15 pm local time, a Cessna 172, registered N1166W, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near White Plains, New York (Westchester County Airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The student pilot's improper landing flare and the flight instructor's delayed remedial action resulting in a bounced landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 24, 2010 · about 4:15 pm local time · cases in 2010
- Place
- White Plains, New York · Westchester County Airport · cases near this airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172 S · all 172s on the register
- Registration
- N1166W · registry record · serial 172S10363
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The certificated flight instructor (CFI) and student pilot were returning to the airport at the conclusion of a lesson. The CFI stated that the student was flying the airplane, and the landing approach was "stable and normal except for the fact that it was low." The CFI took control of the airplane, added power to avoid landing on the runway's displaced threshold, and transferred control back to the student. The CFI stated that the student reduced power "abruptly," and that the airplane's nose "dropped" and impacted the runway before he could recover. The CFI performed an aborted landing and subsequently landed normally. Later inspection of the airplane revealed damage to the engine firewall. The CFI stated that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or anomalies with the airplane.
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
- Hard landing during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Landing flare › Incorrect use/operation
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Incorrect action performance › Student pilot
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Delayed action › Instructor/check pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 590 hours in all; 389 in this make and model; 209 in the last 90 days; 58 in the last 30 days; 450 as pilot in command; 228 on instruments
- Last flight review: April 30, 2010
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 10 hours in all; 10 in this make and model; 10 in the last 90 days; 6 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,494 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, July 16, 2010
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: HPN White Plains NY
- Destination: HPN White Plains NY
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 29, 4,451 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 320° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 6,000 ft
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 29.87 inHg
- Observation at 3:56 pm from HPN
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
1 document, released by the NTSB on October 3, 2010. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
Other NTSB records under N1166W the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N1166W on the register today · the tail number may have moved to another aircraft since
- Cessna 172 Skyhawk 20,687 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Cessna 72,682 aircraft on the register
- Engine: Lycoming O-360 1,069 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Westchester County · nearest airport
- Accidents and incidents in New York 1,964 since 1982 · 249 in the last ten years
- New York 6,663 aircraft registered
- Other NTSB records under N1166W 1 records · the number may have belonged to another aircraft at the time
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/ERA10CA398.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.