Cessna 172 accident near Louisa, Virginia, August 22, 2024
On August 22, 2024 at about 8:00 pm local time, a 1999 Cessna 172, registered N72664, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Louisa, Virginia (Louisa County/Freeman Fld airport). It was a personal 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).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s improper landing flare 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
- August 22, 2024 · about 8:00 pm local time
- Place
- Louisa, Virginia · Louisa County/Freeman Fld · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172 R, built 1999 · all 172s on the register
- Registration
- N72664 · registry record · serial 17280818
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot was making an intermediate stop during a cross-country flight. While maneuvering the airplane through the final approach leg of the traffic pattern, the pilot described encountering “what appeared to be wind shear”. The pilot stated that the airplane “drop[ped] suddenly,” contacted the runway firmly, and bounced. The pilot elected to abort the landing and fly a second approach, during which he did not report encountering any adverse wind or turbulence, and landed without further incident. After landing, the pilot shut down the airplane to check the fuel quantity and take a short break. During the following pre-takeoff run-up procedures, the pilot reported feeling some “resistance” in the elevator control and taxied the airplane back to shut down and report the issue. The airplane’s forward lower fuselage and floorboards were later found to have been substantially damaged. The pilot reported that there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures 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
- Hard landing during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
- Attempted remediation/recovery during landing (aborted after touchdown)
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Landing flare › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 193 hours in all; 182 in this make and model; 36 in the last 90 days; 14 in the last 30 days; 122 as pilot in command; 0 on instruments
- Last flight review: April 28, 2024
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Passenger
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,554.4 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, July 19, 2024; 30 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,450 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-L2A (piston); 2,584 hours total
- Operator: Middle River Aviation
The flight
- Departed from: MTN Middle River MD at 4:58 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 27, 4,300 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 77°F (25°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 30.24 inHg
- Observation at 3:55 pm from LKU
Weather report (METAR): KLKU 221955Z AUTO 00000KT 10SM CLR 25/09 A3024 RMK AO2 T02500092
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Photographs from the investigation 4 pictures from the NTSB's docket, as the NTSB released them
Photograph 1 – Fuselage buckling impact damage
Photograph 2 – Fuselage buckling impact damage
Photograph 3 – Floorboard buckling impact damage
Photograph 4 – Floorboard buckling impact damageThe NTSB's photographs with the NTSB's captions, at screen size. Open a picture to see it full size or to report one that should not be shown.
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
2 documents, released by the NTSB on November 8, 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, 11 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Investigation Photographs | PDF, 5 pages · our copy | 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.