Cessna 172 accident near Rochester, New York, July 19, 2021
On July 19, 2021 at about 5:02 pm local time, a 1998 Cessna 172, registered N489MA, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Rochester, New York (Frederick Douglass - Greater R 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).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s excessive speed and improper landing flare which resulted in abnormal runway contact, porpoising, and substantial damage.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 19, 2021 · about 5:02 pm local time
- Place
- Rochester, New York · Frederick Douglass - Greater R · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172 R, built 1998 · all 172s on the register
- Registration
- N489MA · no longer on the register · serial 17280489
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the pilot, he was too fast on his final approach to land. He bounced hard multiple times before he finally landed. He then taxied to the fixed base operator on the field. Examination of the airplane by a Federal Aviation Administration Inspector revealed that the propeller tips, firewall, forward fuselage, and cabin floor were substantially damaged.
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
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Incorrect action selection › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 219 hours in all; 201 in this make and model; 10 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: December 21, 2020
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,762.7 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 23, 2020; 85 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,450 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-L2A (piston); 3,854 hours total
- Operator: Rochester Air Center
The flight
- Departed from: ROC Rochester NY at 4:51 pm
- Destination: ROC Rochester NY
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 25, 4,000 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 320° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 9 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 3,000 ft
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 68°F (20°C)
- Altimeter: 30.03 inHg
- Observation at 12:54 pm from ROC
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 29, 2022. 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 | Pilot Statement | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Photos | PDF, 8 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.