Cessna 172 accident near Hodgenville, Kentucky, April 29, 2001
On April 29, 2001 at about 6:05 pm local time, a Cessna 172, registered N106ME, was substantially damaged in an accident near Hodgenville, Kentucky (Lincoln Farm Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain runway alignment during landing. A factor in the accident was the pilot's lack of experience in conducting soft field landings.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 29, 2001 · about 6:05 pm local time
- Place
- Hodgenville, Kentucky · Lincoln Farm Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172 · all 172s on the register
- Registration
- N106ME · no longer on the register · serial 17258479
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
Once over the runway, the pilot identified that the windsock was "slightly moving," so he elected to land on runway 03, which was 1,700 feet long and 60 feet wide. With the flaps set to 30 degrees, the pilot slowed the airplane to 65-70 knots in preparation for a soft field landing. Once over the runway, the pilot flared the airplane. While the pilot was waiting for the airplane to settle onto the runway, it "lurched" to the left. The pilot applied right rudder, but the airplane continued to the left. The airplane departed the runway and came to a stop after impacting some small trees. The pilot reported a total of 57.4 hours of flight experience, all of which was in the accident airplane. In addition, it was the pilot's first attempt at making an actual soft field landing. He had practiced soft field landings on hard surface runways, but had never actually landed on a soft surface. Examination of the airplane revealed no pre impact failures or malfunctions.
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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 57 hours in all; 57 in this make and model; 10 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 568 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, April 8, 2001
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-L2A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: LOU Louisville KY at 5:27 pm
- Destination: 21KY Lincoln Farm KY
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 03, 1,700 ft by 20 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 100° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 32°F (0°C)
- Altimeter: 30.37 inHg
- Observation at 5:55 pm from FTK, 28 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.