Cessna 172H accident near Plattsburgh, New York, February 14, 2011
On February 14, 2011 at about 5:15 pm local time, a Cessna 172H, registered N2593L, was substantially damaged in an accident near Plattsburgh, New York (Plattsburgh International 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The student pilot's loss of directional control during the landing flare in gusting wind conditions and the certified flight instructor's delayed remedial action.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made September 29, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 14, 2011 · about 5:15 pm local time
- Place
- Plattsburgh, New York · Plattsburgh International · map
- Type
- Accident · collision on the ground
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172H · all 172Hs on the register
- Registration
- N2593L · registry record · serial 17255793
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The certified flight instructor (CFI) and student pilot reported that they were practicing touch-and-go takeoffs and landings. During the second approach, the airplane's airspeed and altitude decreased more than they intended. The left wing contacted the runway resulting in substantial damage. The CFI took authority over the flight controls and landed the airplane. While taxiing to the ramp, they observed that the wind had increased more than reported. The recorded wind conditions at the airport, prior to and after the accident, were variable from 7 to 10 knots, with gusts to 17 knots. The CFI reported that there were no mechanical failures or malfunctions of the airplane.
The NTSB's narratives can run to many pages; this is the opening. Read the full report at the NTSB.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database and is rewritten in plain English only where the NTSB used codes; the probable cause and narrative are the NTSB's own words. This site 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 ERA11CA144.