Cessna 172 accident near Newport News, Virginia, May 19, 2016
On May 19, 2016 at about 11:00 pm local time, a 2007 Cessna 172, registered N1724U, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Newport News, Virginia (Newport News/Williamsburg Intl 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 incorrect pitch control during the landing flare, which resulted in abnormal runway contact and a substantially damaged firewall.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 19, 2016 · about 11:00 pm local time
- Place
- Newport News, Virginia · Newport News/Williamsburg Intl · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172 S, built 2007 · all 172s on the register
- Registration
- N1724U · registry record · serial 172S10443
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
Following an instructional pattern flight of about 2 hours, the solo student pilot took off and remained in the traffic pattern. During the first landing touchdown, the student pilot reported that he landed in a flat pitch attitude and the nose wheel tire blew. Subsequently, the airplane started to porpoise and the propeller struck the runway, which resulted in substantial damage to the firewall. The student pilot did not report any 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
- Abnormal runway contact during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Pitch control › Incorrect use/operation
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Student/instructed pilot
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 23 hours in all; 23 in this make and model; 21 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,139.4 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, February 25, 2016
- Maximum gross weight: 2,558 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-L2A (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Freedom Aviation
The flight
- Departed from: PHF Newport News VA at 10:45 pm
- Destination: PHF Newport News VA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 07, 8,003 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 060° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 8,000 ft
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 50°F (10°C)
- Altimeter: 30.13 inHg
- Observation at 10:54 pm from KPHF
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Other NTSB records under N1724U the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.