Cessna 172P accident near Stevensville, Maryland, July 2, 2001
On July 2, 2001 at about 9:10 pm local time, a Cessna 172P, registered N54576, was substantially damaged in an accident near Stevensville, Maryland (Bay Bridge Airport). It was a personal 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 pilot's improper flare and his improper recovery from a bounced landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 2, 2001 · about 9:10 pm local time
- Place
- Stevensville, Maryland · Bay Bridge Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172P · all 172Ps on the register
- Registration
- N54576 · registry record · serial 17275003
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
While on final approach for the runway, the airplane was "above glide path and remained too high throughout final." With a view of ample runway ahead, the pilot "decided to continue with the landing rather than go around." The airplane touched down, bounced back into the air, and "ballooned excessively." The pilot added power to recover from the bounced landing, touched down a second time, and the airplane began to porpoise. The nose wheel tire then ruptured and the propeller struck the asphalt. According to the Federal Aviation Administration Airplane Flying Handbook, the proper technique for recovery from "excessive" "Floating During Roundout", and "Ballooning During Roundout," was "EXECUTE A GO-AROUND IMMEDIATELY."
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: 266 hours in all; 265 in this make and model; 66 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: August 11, 2000
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 10,871 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, June 30, 2001; 10 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-D2J (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: W00 Mitchellville MD at 8:45 pm
- Destination: W29 Stevensville MD
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 11, 2,903 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 6,500 ft
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 41°F (5°C)
- Altimeter: 30.20 inHg
- Observation at 8:54 pm from BWI, 20 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.
Other NTSB records under N54576 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.