Cessna 172M accident near Westminster, Maryland, May 1, 2024
On May 1, 2024 at about 6:30 pm local time, a 1976 Cessna 172M, registered N1377U, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Westminster, Maryland (Carroll County Rgnl/Jack B Poa airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s failure to attain a proper touchdown point during a simulated loss of engine power approach, which resulted in a hard landing short of the runway. Also causal was the flight instructor’s delayed remedial action during the approach and subsequent aborted landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 1, 2024 · about 6:30 pm local time
- Place
- Westminster, Maryland · Carroll County Rgnl/Jack B Poa · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172M, built 1976 · all 172Ms on the register
- Registration
- N1377U · registry record · serial 17267048
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The flight instructor and the private pilot were practicing a simulated loss of engine power in the airport traffic pattern as part of the private pilot’s flight review. On base leg, the private pilot added 20 degrees of flaps. The flight instructor told the private pilot that he should wait to extend the flaps until he was sure that the airplane would be able to reach the runway, and the private pilot responded that he would be able to reach the runway. The flight instructor did not correct the pilot’s actions and continued with the approach. As the airplane descended on final approach, the airspeed decreased to 60 knots, and the flight instructor realized that the airplane would not be able to reach the runway. A review of airport surveillance video revealed the airplane touched down hard short of the runway surface, bounced, before the engine power increased. The instructor stated that he told the private pilot to go-around, and that the private pilot added full power, carburetor heat, and brought the flaps to 10 degrees. The airplane began to climb, turned to the left, and was in a nose-high pitch attitude. The flight instructor took control of the airplane and attempted to apply remedial control inputs, but they were not effective. The surveillance video showed that after a brief climb low speed climb, the airplane was in a nose-high pitch, left wing low attitude before it descended to ground contact. The airplane subsequently nosed over and the left-wing strut, fuselage, and empennage were substantially damaged. The flight instructor reported there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures of 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
- Hard landing during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during uncontrolled descent
- Loss of control in flight during initial climb
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Descent/approach/glide path › Not attained/maintained
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Delayed action › Instructor/check pilot
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 648 hours in all; 222 in this make and model; 104 in the last 90 days; 30 in the last 30 days; 557 as pilot in command; 172 on instruments
- Last flight review: April 25, 2024
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: minor injuries
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 80 hours in all; 9 in this make and model; 4 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days; 20 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: March 8, 2022
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 21,000 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, March 12, 2024
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-D2J (piston); 4,200 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: GAI Gaithersburg MD at 5:40 pm
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 16/3, 5,100 ft by 100 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 5 knots, gusting 14
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 29.93 inHg
- Observation at 2:40 pm from KDMW
Weather report (METAR): METAR KDMW 011840Z AUTO 27005G14KT 10SM CLR 27/11 A2993
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
3 documents, released by the NTSB on August 30, 2024. 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, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Investigative Photographs | PDF, 4 pages | View Download |
| 3 | Airport Surveillance Video | video | 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.