Cessna 172RG accident near Martinsburg, West Virginia, January 21, 2018
On January 21, 2018 at about 6:04 pm local time, a 1981 Cessna 172RG, registered N9415B, was substantially damaged in an accident near Martinsburg, West Virginia (Eastern West Virginia Regional 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
A hydraulic leak in the right main landing gear actuator, which resulted in the main landing gear not extending.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 21, 2018 · about 6:04 pm local time
- Place
- Martinsburg, West Virginia · Eastern West Virginia Regional · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172RG, built 1981 · all 172RGs on the register
- Registration
- N9415B · registry record · serial 172RG0816
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The flight instructor stated that he and the private pilot were about to make their seventh landing, but when the pilot extended the gear, the gear down-and-locked light did not illuminate. A visual check revealed that the nose gear was extended but the main gear was not fully extended. The flight instructor used the emergency gear handle to try and pump the main gear down, but there was insufficient hydraulic pressure in the system. The flight instructor landed the airplane with the nosewheel extended, but the airplane’s left wing dropped, which resulted in substantial damage to the left wing and the elevator. After exiting the airplane, hydraulic fluid was observed pooling under the airplane and along the side of the empennage. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed that an O-ring inside the right gear actuator failed and was leaking hydraulic fluid. Because the landing gear is extended/retracted by hydraulic pressure, the leak likely prevented the system from having adequate pressure for the electric pump and the manual gear handle to extend the gear.
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
- 506330 during 506
- 550094 during descent
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Hydraulic power system › Hydraulic, main system › Damaged/degraded
- cause Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Fluids › Hydraulic fluid › Fluid level
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Main landing gear › Failure
Flight instructor
- Ratings: single-engine land, ASE, APLN
- Flight time: 4,056 hours in all; 18 in this make and model; 17 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days; 1,919 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: class 1
- Injury: no injuries
Pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land, none, APLN, none
- Medical certificate: class 3
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,054.8 hours
- Last inspection: type not recorded, June 22, 2017
- Maximum gross weight: 2,600 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-360 F (piston); 7,128 hours total
- Operating certificate: in the vicinity
The flight
- Departed from: MRB Martinsburg WV
- Destination: MRB Martinsburg WV
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 26, 8,815 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 7,500 ft; scattered at 3,900 ft
- Temperature: 55°C, dew point 41°C
- Altimeter: 30.120001 inHg
- Observation at 6:06 pm from MRB
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 2 |
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 ERA18LA067.