Cessna 172 accident near Westminster, Maryland, May 26, 2018
On May 26, 2018 at about 3:00 am local time, a 1999 Cessna 172, registered N789EP, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Westminster, Maryland (Carroll County Rgnl/Jack B Poa airport). It was a personal 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 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
- May 26, 2018 · about 3:00 am local time
- Place
- Westminster, Maryland · Carroll County Rgnl/Jack B Poa · 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 1999 · all 172s on the register
- Registration
- N789EP · registry record · serial 172S8135
- 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, during short final at night, he reduced power to idle, and the airplane descended rapidly and landed hard in a flat attitude. He added that, after touchdown, the airplane bounced, and he applied full power to go around. He entered the traffic pattern and then landed without further incident. Postaccident examination 3 days after the accident revealed that the airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions 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
- 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 › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 59.7 hours in all; 59.7 in this make and model; 8.3 in the last 90 days; 6.4 in the last 30 days; 24.6 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: February 12, 2018
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,735.6 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 16, 2018
- Maximum gross weight: 2,558 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-L2A (piston); 8,822 hours total
- Operator: Dream Aviation Inc
The flight
- Departed from: WWD Wildwood NJ at 1:40 am
- Destination: DMW Westminster MD
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 16, 5,100 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night
- Wind: from 190° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 77°F (25°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 29.90 inHg
- Observation at 2:55 am from KDMW
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
2 documents, released by the NTSB on August 28, 2018. 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 | Accident Photo | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
Other NTSB records under N789EP 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.