Cessna 172S accident near Westiminster, Maryland, January 26, 2008
On January 26, 2008 at about 6:00 pm local time, a Cessna 172S, registered N65329, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Westiminster, Maryland (Carroll County Regional 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.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 26, 2008 · about 6:00 pm local time
- Place
- Westiminster, Maryland · Carroll County Regional · 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
- N65329 · registry record · serial 172S9702
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The student pilot stated he was in left closed traffic for landing. He flared the airplane high, landed hard, and the airplane began to porpoise down the runway. The propeller collided with the runway and the firewall was buckled. The student pilot reported no mechanical problems 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
What happened, in order
- Hard landing during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Landing flare › Incorrect use/operation
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Student pilot
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 49 hours in all; 49 in this make and model; 34 in the last 90 days; 7 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,072 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, December 1, 2007; 46 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,650 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-L2A (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: American Pilot Services
The flight
- Departed from: KDMW Westiminster MD
- Destination: KDMW
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 34, 5,100 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 070° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 8,500 ft
- Temperature: 39°F (4°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 30.21 inHg
- Observation at 5:54 pm from KBWI, 30 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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 N65329 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.