Cessna 172 accident near Bayse, Virginia, August 4, 2019
On August 4, 2019 at about 6:00 pm local time, a 1964 Cessna 172, registered N424BC, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Bayse, Virginia (Sky Bryce 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 exceedance of the airplane's critical angle of attack during initial climb, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 4, 2019 · about 6:00 pm local time
- Place
- Bayse, Virginia · Sky Bryce · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172 F, built 1964 · all 172s on the register
- Registration
- N424BC · registry record · serial 17252171
- 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 the initial climb, once the airplane was above the tree line, he felt as though it encountered "a strong quartering tailwind." The stall warning horn sounded, and the airplane began to descend to the left. He was able to lower the airplane's nose, and the airplane touched down in the grass area that outlined the left side of the runway surface and then bounced. He cut the engine's power, and the airplane touched down again on the nosewheel and the left main landing gear. The pilot applied right rudder, and he was able to steer the airplane onto the runway and stop. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing. 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
- Abnormal runway contact during takeoff (rejected takeoff)
- Loss of control on ground during landing (landing roll) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Angle of attack › Capability exceeded
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 181 hours in all; 181 in this make and model; 10 in the last 90 days; 1 in the last 30 days; 94 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: February 10, 2019
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,191.6 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 7, 2019
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-300-D (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Pikeside Flying Club Inc
The flight
- Departed from: VG18 Bayse VA at 6:00 pm
- Destination: MRB Martinsburg WV
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 23, 2,240 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 3,900 ft
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Observation at 5:55 pm from KW99, 21 miles away
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 December 10, 2019. 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 | 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.
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.