Cessna 172S accident near Cleveland, Ohio, March 27, 2003
On March 27, 2003 at about 11:15 pm local time, a Cessna 172S, registered N613SP, was substantially damaged in an accident near Cleveland, Ohio (Cuyahoga County 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 improper 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
- March 27, 2003 · about 11:15 pm local time
- Place
- Cleveland, Ohio · Cuyahoga County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172S · all 172Ss on the register
- Registration
- N613SP · registry record · serial 17258597
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During the landing attempt, the student pilot flared high, and the airplane "dropped," then bounced three of four times on the runway. Examination of the airplane revealed that the firewall was wrinkled, and the propeller blade tips were damaged. The student pilot reported a total of 25 flight hours, all of which were in make and model. He also reported that there were no mechanical deficiencies with the airplane.
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: 25 hours in all; 25 in this make and model; 6 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days; 2 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 545.4 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, September 30, 2002; 59.6 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,450 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Textron Lycoming IO 360-C2A (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: 613Sp Aviation, LLC
The flight
- Departed from: CFG Cleveland OH
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 06
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.
Other NTSB records under N613SP 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.