Cessna 172N accident near Lincolnton, North Carolina, May 27, 2000
On May 27, 2000 at about 5:05 pm local time, a Cessna 172N, registered N734ZD, was substantially damaged in an accident near Lincolnton, North Carolina (Lincoln County Regional airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The inadequate supervision of the student pilot by the CFI for his failure to note that the student was performing a go-around from a low pass with 30-degree of flaps extended instead of the POH recommended 20-degrees. A factor in the accident was the failure of the student to retract the flaps from 40 degrees to 20 degrees during the go-around from a low pass.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 27, 2000 · about 5:05 pm local time
- Place
- Lincolnton, North Carolina · Lincoln County Regional · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172N · all 172Ns on the register
- Registration
- N734ZD · no longer on the register · serial 17269237
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The student had performed four full-stop landings then departed to remain in the traffic pattern. The student performed a low pass and at the mid point of the runway, he pitched up to climb, removed carburetor heat, applied full throttle, and 'removed one notch to flaps (to the 30-degree level).' He pitched for best climb but 'we started to lose altitude.' He verified the carburetor heat was off and the throttle was forward, and noted that the airspeed was at or just above 60 mph. He retracted the flaps to 20 degrees, 'but this did not seem to help.' He advised the CFI to take control of the airplane, the CFI rechecked the position of the carburetor heat and throttle, and recognizing that the flight could not return to the runway, maneuvered the airplane to a clearing. While descending the airplane collided with a power line, a fence, then the ground. Postaccident examination revealed sufficient fuel and no contaminants. Postaccident examination of the engine by the operator revealed no preimpact mechanical failure or malfunction. Review of the airplane pilot's operating handbook revealed that when performing a balked landing, reduce the flaps to 20 degrees immediately after full power is applied.
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
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 658 hours in all; 243 in this make and model; 119 in the last 90 days; 50 in the last 30 days; 517 as pilot in command; 229 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-H2AD (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Corporate Air Fleet
The flight
- Departed from: IPJ at 4:10 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 210° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 18,000 ft; scat at 10,000 ft
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 75°F (24°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:51 pm from CLT, 18 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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 N734ZD 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.