Cessna 172 accident near Pikeville, Kentucky, April 10, 2005
On April 10, 2005 at about 7:00 pm local time, a Cessna 172, registered N8897V, was substantially damaged in an accident near Pikeville, Kentucky (Pike 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 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
- April 10, 2005 · about 7:00 pm local time
- Place
- Pikeville, Kentucky · Pike County Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172 · all 172s on the register
- Registration
- N8897V · no longer on the register · serial 17264255
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
Prior to the accident, the student pilot received about 5 total hours of dual flight instruction. Upon receipt of his medical certificate, the pilot scheduled the use of the flying club airplane for a solo flight. During the flight, the pilot landed the airplane with about 1/3 of the runway remaining, and bounced several times, "hard," resulting in substantial damage. The student pilot had not been endorsed to fly solo, nor did he consult with his flight instructor prior to conducting the solo flight.
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: 5 hours in all; 5 in this make and model; 2 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 1, 2004
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PBX Pikeville KY at 7:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 27, 5,350 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 7,500 ft
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 30.01 inHg
- Observation at 6:53 pm from JKL, 36 miles away
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.
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.