Cessna 172E accident near Apex, North Carolina, August 30, 2013
On August 30, 2013 at about 8:45 pm local time, a Cessna 172E, registered N3513S, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Apex, North Carolina (Deck Airpark airport). It was a personal 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 pilot's failure to attain the proper touchdown point on the runway, which resulted in a runway overrun and subsequent aircraft noseover.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 30, 2013 · about 8:45 pm local time
- Place
- Apex, North Carolina · Deck Airpark · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172E · all 172Es on the register
- Registration
- N3513S · no longer on the register · serial 17250713
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
Immediately after the accident, the pilot reported to the responding police officer that he landed “hot,” and “overshot” the 1,950-foot-long turf runway. The airplane overran the departure end of the runway, struck a ditch, nosed over, and came to rest inverted with substantial damage to the wings, empennage, and tail section of the airplane. Interpolation of the airplane manufacturer’s landing distance chart revealed that the required landing distance over a 50-foot obstacle was approximately 1,300 feet. The pilot stated that there were no mechanical deficiencies with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
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
- Runway excursion during landing (landing roll) defining event
- Nose over/nose down during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Incorrect action performance › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Landing flare › Incorrect use/operation
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 1,520 hours in all; 1,200 in this make and model; 9 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,297 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 2, 2013
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Cont Motor 0-300 SER (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 2GC Fayetteville NC at 8:10 pm
- Destination: NC11 Apex NC
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 04, 1,950 ft by 10 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 110° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 4,500 ft
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 29.96 inHg
- Observation at 8:51 pm from RDU, 10 miles away
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.