Cessna 172F accident near Oxford, North Carolina, August 14, 2014
On August 14, 2014 at about 3:30 pm local time, a 1964 Cessna 172F, registered N8432U, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Oxford, North Carolina (Henderson-Oxford airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was 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 improper landing flare, which resulted in a hard landing. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's improper compensation for wind conditions.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 14, 2014 · about 3:30 pm local time
- Place
- Oxford, North Carolina · Henderson-Oxford · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172F, built 1964 · all 172Fs on the register
- Registration
- N8432U · registry record · serial 17252332
- 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 after takeoff, his passengers were uncomfortable in the "bumpy" conditions, so he returned to the departure airport for landing. He said that due to his passenger load and the crosswind conditions, the owner of the airplane advised over the radio that the pilot should perform the landing with flaps set at 10 degrees. The pilot stated that the airplane "ballooned" on the first touchdown, and that the second touchdown was "harder than normal." A witness stated that there was a direct crosswind, and the airplane touched down with then nose pointed 30 degrees right of centerline. The airplane "porpoised" and landed on the nosewheel first a number of times in succession. Inspection of the airplane after taxi and parking revealed cracking and buckling of the wings, fuselage, and engine firewall. The pilot reported, and inspection by FAA inspectors revealed, no mechanical deficiencies 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
- Hard landing during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Landing flare › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Incorrect action performance › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 70 hours in all; 708 in this make and model; 2 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,835.5 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 18, 2014; 18 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,299 lb
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Cont Motor 0-300 SER (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Empire Aviation INC
The flight
- Departed from: HNZ Oxford NC
- Destination: HNZ Oxford NC
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 24, 5,002 ft by 97 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 260° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 77°F (25°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 29.46 inHg
- Observation at 3:15 pm from KHNZ
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. 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 ERA14CA398.