Cessna 182P accident near Salisbury, North Carolina, April 16, 2008
On April 16, 2008 at about 4:30 pm local time, a Cessna 182P, registered N52415, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Salisbury, North Carolina (Rowan 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 during landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 16, 2008 · about 4:30 pm local time
- Place
- Salisbury, North Carolina · Rowan County Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 182P · all 182Ps on the register
- Registration
- N52415 · registry record · serial 18262591
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The student pilot had completed four successful takeoffs and landings with her instructor. The instructor then exited the airplane and the student pilot completed her first solo takeoff and landing uneventfully. During her second solo landing, the flare was improper and the airplane landed hard. The propeller made contact with the runway, damaging the firewall.
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
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 70 hours in all; 70 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Teledyne Continental O-470-L (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: RUQ Salisbury NC
- Destination: RUQ
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 02, 5,500 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 18°F (-8°C)
- Altimeter: 30.27 inHg
- Observation at 8:40 pm from RUQ
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.
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.