Cessna 172 accident near Pickens, South Carolina, July 11, 2020
On July 11, 2020 at about 5:40 pm local time, a 1977 Cessna 172, registered N737WA, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Pickens, South Carolina (Pickens County airport). It was an instructional 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).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The student pilot's improper landing flare and improper recovery from a bounced landing, which resulted in a hard landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 11, 2020 · about 5:40 pm local time
- Place
- Pickens, South Carolina · Pickens County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172 N, built 1977 · all 172s on the register
- Registration
- N737WA · registry record · serial 17269722
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The student pilot reported that while practicing touch and go landings, he “came in a little faster than normal” on the 7th landing. During touchdown, the airplane bounced several times, each bounce “harder/higher” than the previous. He attempted to perform a abort the landing but the nose landing gear struck the ground “hard” and the propeller struck the ground. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the forward fuselage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions 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
- Abnormal runway contact during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
- Abnormal runway contact during landing (aborted after touchdown)
- Hard landing during landing
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Student/instructed pilot
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Incorrect action performance › Student/instructed pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Landing flare › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 18 hours in all; 18 in this make and model; 18 in the last 90 days; 6 in the last 30 days; 2 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 8,520 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 26, 2020
- Maximum gross weight: 2,299 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-H2AD (piston); 1,385 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: GMU Greenville SC at 4:30 pm
- Destination: LQK Pickens SC
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 23, 5,002 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 29.89 inHg
- Observation at 5:35 pm from LQK
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
3 documents, released by the NTSB on April 5, 2021. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 11 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Memorandum for Record - Conversation with FAA Inspector and Pilot Statement | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 3 | Investigative Photographs | PDF, 3 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.