Cessna 172N accident near Pinehurst, North Carolina, August 25, 2002
On August 25, 2002 at about 1:30 pm local time, a Cessna 172N, registered N4859F, was substantially damaged in an accident near Pinehurst, North Carolina (Moore 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 recovery from bounced landing which resulted in substantial damage to the airplane.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 25, 2002 · about 1:30 pm local time
- Place
- Pinehurst, North Carolina · Moore County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172N · all 172Ns on the register
- Registration
- N4859F · registry record · serial 17273089
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The student said that his initial approach to land was normal, but as the airplane touched down it bounced, and then it touched down a second time, impacting the ground heavily on the nose wheel, and the tire "blew." He said he then applied the brakes to attempt to stop the airplane, and it came to rest partially on the paved runway and partially on the grass. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed damage to the firewall, and fuselage areas immediately aft of the firewall. Prior to the accident there had been no mechanical failure or malfunctions to the airplane or any of its systems.
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: 46 hours in all; 46 in this make and model; 42 in the last 90 days; 14 in the last 30 days; 1 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,213 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 3, 2002; 51 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Textron Lycoming O-320-H2AD (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SOP Pinehurst NC at 1:15 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 05, 5,503 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 310° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 86°F (30°C), dew point 68°F (20°C)
- Altimeter: 29.95 inHg
- Observation at 1:55 pm from SOP
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.