Cessna 172 accident near Chattanooga, Tennessee, August 8, 2010
On August 8, 2010, a Cessna 172, registered N51745, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Chattanooga, Tennessee (Dallas Bay Sky Park airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The student pilot's improper execution of the go-around procedure.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 8, 2010
- Place
- Chattanooga, Tennessee · Dallas Bay Sky Park · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172 P · all 172s on the register
- Registration
- N51745 · no longer on the register · serial 17274341
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The student pilot stated that he and a passenger departed on a local flight to a tower-controlled airport, where he conducted five touch-and-go practice takeoff and landings and one full-stop landing. He then departed back to his home airport, where he conducted another touch-and-go landing. The student pilot stated that the approach for the second landing was fine but during the landing flare, he believed that he was approaching the end of the runway too fast. The student pilot decided to execute a go-around by increasing engine power and retracting the wing flaps. He stated that the airplane settled onto the runway and he attempted to apply brakes. The airplane veered off the left side of the runway and impacted a pole and a building, resulting in substantial damage to the engine firewall. The student pilot stated that there were no 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
- Attempted remediation/recovery during landing
- Runway excursion during landing
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Incorrect action performance › Student pilot
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 36 hours in all; 36 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O320 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Hixson Aviation
The flight
- Departed from: 1A0 Chattanooga TN
- Destination: 1A0 Chattanooga TN
- Flight plan: not recorded
- Runway 05, 3,025 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: from 040° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 15,000 ft; scat at 7,000 ft
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 29.90 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.