Cessna 172 accident near Frederick, Maryland, June 29, 2016
On June 29, 2016 at about 12:45 pm local time, a 2001 Cessna 172, registered N2473G, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Frederick, Maryland (Frederick Muni 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 failure to maintain pitch control during the touch down resulting in a bounced landing, subsequent hard landing and substantial damage to the firewall.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 29, 2016 · about 12:45 pm local time
- Place
- Frederick, Maryland · Frederick Muni · 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 2001 · all 172s on the register
- Registration
- N2473G · registry record · serial 17281019
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The student pilot of the tricycle landing gear-equipped airplane reported that he executed a normal approach to the asphalt runway. He recalled that the airplane touched down on the main landing gear and bounced. He reported that when the airplane settled to the runway after it bounced, the nose gear struck the ground hard. The student pilot taxied the airplane to the ramp per the control tower's instruction and shut down. A post flight examination of the airplane by the flight school revealed substantial damage to the firewall. The student pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or anomalies with the airplane during the flight that would have prevented normal flight operations.
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)
- Hard landing during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Pitch control › Not attained/maintained
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Landing flare › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Student/instructed pilot
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 49 hours in all; 32 in this make and model; 2 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: June 1, 2016
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 9,934.3 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, June 1, 2016
- Maximum gross weight: 2,457 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-L2A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: FDK Frederick MD at 12:30 pm
- Destination: FDK Frederick MD
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 30, 3,600 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 320° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 29.98 inHg
- Observation at 12:47 pm from KFDK
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.
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.