Cessna 172P accident near Mitchellville, Maryland, August 24, 2013
On August 24, 2013 at about 2:00 pm local time, a Cessna 172P, registered N98923, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Mitchellville, Maryland (Freeway 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 decision to depart with a known deficiency following a hard landing. Contributing to the accident was an anomaly of the airplane’s nosewheel steering that could not be replicated during post-accident examination.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 24, 2013 · about 2:00 pm local time
- Place
- Mitchellville, Maryland · Freeway Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172P · all 172Ps on the register
- Registration
- N98923 · registry record · serial 17276381
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that while taxiing for takeoff for a local flight with passengers, the right rudder felt “stiff.” Once in the air, the rudder operated normally; however, the pilot’s first landing was “hard.” After picking up a second set of passengers, the pilot noticed that while taxiing back to the runway, the right rudder felt even more stiff. At one point during the taxi, the pilot “stomped” on the rudder to steer the airplane right, but did not think much of the anomaly, as the airplane seemed to move normally after applying additional engine power. During the subsequent takeoff, the pilot noticed that the right rudder pedal continued to feel stiffer than it had during the previous takeoff. During the second landing, the airplane veered immediately left upon touchdown and departed the runway. The pilot attempted to correct the airplane’s course, but the right rudder pedal was unresponsive. The pilot then attempted to abort the landing, but once in the air, he realized the airplane would not be able to climb above approaching trees and decided to land the airplane in a farm field. During the landing the nose landing gear collapsed and the airplane nosed over, resulting in substantial damage. A Federal Aviation Administration inspector examined the airframe and flight controls following the accident and confirmed that the rudder was free to move, but that the nose steering system of the airplane had been compromised during the accident and its pre-impact functionality could not be determined. When asked how the accident could have been prevented the pilot stated, “After a hard land[ing] have the plane inspected – Don’t takeoff even if it seems normal.”
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 on ground during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
- Off-field or emergency landing during approach (VFR go-around)
- Landing gear collapse during landing (landing roll)
- Nose over/nose down during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Nose/tail landing gear › Malfunction
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 80 hours in all; 80 in this make and model; 3 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days; 17 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: June 14, 2013
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 12,252 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, June 26, 2013
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-D2J (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Freeway Airport INC
The flight
- Departed from: W00 Mitchellville MD at 1:30 pm
- Destination: W00 Mitchellville MD
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 36, 2,420 ft by 40 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 040° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 30.27 inHg
- Observation at 1:55 pm from CGS, 7 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.
Other NTSB records under N98923 the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.