Cessna 172N accident near Edgewater, Maryland, July 8, 2014
On July 8, 2014 at about 11:30 pm local time, a 1979 Cessna 172N, registered N7368F, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Edgewater, Maryland (Lee 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 pilot's inadvertent encounter with an unanticipated convective gust front or low-level wind shear while landing, which resulted in a loss of control and subsequent hard landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 8, 2014 · about 11:30 pm local time
- Place
- Edgewater, Maryland · Lee · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172N, built 1979 · all 172Ns on the register
- Registration
- N7368F · registry record · serial 17273257
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The flight instructor reported that she and the student pilot checked the weather conditions prior to departing on an instructional flight, and noted thunderstorms were forecast for the area about 1 hour after their flight was scheduled to be completed. While returning from the flight as scheduled, the flight instructor noted thunderstorm activity to the northwest and strong winds at an airport located about 15 miles north of their destination airport. While on final approach to land on runway 30, the flight instructor noted that the reported winds were from 260 degrees at 10 knots. She continued the approach normally; however, during the landing flare a significant change in headwind caused the airplane to climb. The flight instructor added engine power and pitched up, with the intention of aborting the landing; however, the airplane quickly descended uncontrollably onto the runway. The airplane landed hard and sustained substantial damage to the left wing. Review of weather radar around the time of the accident revealed a line of approaching echos, with a defined gust front ahead of the system. Winds reported at a nearby airport, about 30 minutes before the accident were from 210 degrees at 10 knots, and from 300 degrees at 18 knots, gusting to 29 knots, about 30 minutes after the accident.
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
- Windshear or thunderstorm during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
- Hard landing during landing (flare/touchdown)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Landing flare › Attain/maintain not possible
- cause Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Windshear › Effect on operation
- cause Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Gusts › Effect on operation
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Instructor/check pilot
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Convective weather › Thunderstorm › Effect on operation
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 600 hours in all; 473 in this make and model; 61 in the last 90 days; 35 in the last 30 days; 500 as pilot in command; 315 on instruments
- Last flight review: April 10, 2014
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 77 hours in all; 77 in this make and model; 20 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 8 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 12,295 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, May 1, 2014; 60 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,299 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-H2AD (piston); 1,454 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ESN Easton MD at 11:20 pm
- Destination: ANP Edgewater MD
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 30, 2,500 ft by 48 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 300° at 18 knots, gusting 29
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.80 inHg
- Observation at 11:54 pm from NAK, 5 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 |
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.