Cessna 172 accident near Louisville, Kentucky, October 8, 2024
On October 8, 2024 at about 6:55 pm local time, a 1975 Cessna 172, registered N640MG, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Louisville, Kentucky (Bowman 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 and control inputs, which resulted in a hard landing. Contributing was the flight instructor’s delayed remedial action.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 8, 2024 · about 6:55 pm local time
- Place
- Louisville, Kentucky · Bowman Fld · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172 M, built 1975 · all 172s on the register
- Registration
- N640MG · registry record · serial 17265248
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that she rented the accident airplane to gain proficiency flying from the right seat and had asked the flight instructor to sit in the left seat during the flight. While maneuvering the airplane through the final approach leg of the traffic pattern, the pilot reported making control adjustments to recover from a low and slow approach to land. She attempted to initiate a go-around, but utilizing muscle memory from flying from the left seat, she inadvertently reduced throttle and pushed the yoke forward resulting in a hard landing. The airplane bounced and the pilot applied full power, after which the flight instructor then took control of the airplane. The flight instructor flew another traffic pattern circuit and landed the airplane without further incident. The airplane’s floorboards and internal structure were later found to be substantially damaged. Both the pilot and the flight instructor 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 defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Incorrect action performance › Pilot
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Delayed action › Instructor/check pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Landing flare › Not attained/maintained
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 292.3 hours in all; 0.8 in this make and model; 6.2 in the last 90 days; 0 in the last 30 days; 215.9 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: July 9, 2024
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 482.4 hours in all; 10 in this make and model; 58.8 in the last 90 days; 39.1 in the last 30 days; 407.4 as pilot in command; 119.1 on instruments
- Last flight review: December 22, 2023
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 12,065.3 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, September 9, 2024; 49.1 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2D (piston); 6,632 hours total
- Operator: Kentucky Flight Training Center, LLC
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 33, 3,580 ft by 75 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 36°F (2°C)
- Altimeter: 30.03 inHg
- Observation at 2:53 pm from LOU
Weather report (METAR): KLOU 081853Z VRB04KT 10SM CLR 21/02 A3003 RMK AO2 SLP168 T02110022
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 |
Photographs from the investigation 4 pictures from the NTSB's docket, as the NTSB released them
Photograph 1 – Airplane postaccident
Photograph 2 – Structure wrinkling
Photograph 3 – Floorboard wrinkling
Photograph 4 – Floorboard wrinklingThe 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
5 documents, released by the NTSB on January 21, 2025. 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, 12 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Flight Instructor Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 3 | Memorandum for Record A�� Email, Operator | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 4 | Pilot Logbook | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 5 | 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.