Cessna 172 accident near Norwood, Massachusetts, May 10, 2002
On May 10, 2002 at about 4:45 pm local time, a Cessna 172, registered N172EF, was substantially damaged in an accident near Norwood, Massachusetts (Norwood Municipal airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The student pilot's failure to maintain directional control during an aborted landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 10, 2002 · about 4:45 pm local time · cases in 2002
- Place
- Norwood, Massachusetts · Norwood Municipal · cases near this airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172 · all 172s on the register
- Registration
- N172EF · registry record · serial 17280876
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During a supervised solo flight, the student pilot was in the traffic pattern preparing for his fourth landing when the control tower advised of variable winds, which included a crosswind. The student pilot described the wind conditions as "gusty". When the airplane was about to touchdown on runway 28, it ballooned, then bounced, and drifted to the right. Then, the nose pitched up abruptly, and the right wing dropped. The airplane then veered to the right, toward a tree line. The student pilot applied full power, leveled the wings, and the airplane began to climb. However, there was not enough altitude to clear the tree tops. Weather at the airport included winds from 300 degrees at 10 knots, gusting to 17 knots.
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
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 54 hours in all; 14 in this make and model; 14 in the last 90 days; 14 in the last 30 days; 3 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 745.1 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, February 21, 2002; 65.1 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,457 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-L2A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: OWD Norwood MA at 4:45 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 28, 4,001 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 300° at 10 knots, gusting 17
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 29.97 inHg
- Observation at 4:00 pm from OWD
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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.
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N172EF on the register today · the tail number may have moved to another aircraft since
- Cessna 172 Skyhawk 20,680 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Cessna 72,684 aircraft on the register
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-L2A 2,646 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Norwood Memorial · nearest airport
- Accidents and incidents in Massachusetts 987 since 1982 · 91 in the last ten years
- Massachusetts 2,649 aircraft registered
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/IAD02LA050.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.