Cessna 172 accident near Dayton, Ohio, July 23, 2001
On July 23, 2001 at about 10:45 pm local time, a Cessna 172, registered N52012, was substantially damaged in an accident near Dayton, Ohio (Dayton General Arpt South 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 pilot excessive flare, which resulted in a hard landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 23, 2001 · about 10:45 pm local time
- Place
- Dayton, Ohio · Dayton General Arpt South · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172 · all 172s on the register
- Registration
- N52012 · registry record · serial 17274393
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The student pilot departed for right closed traffic. The pilot completed the crosswind, downwind, base, and final legs of the pattern. Once over the runway, the pilot flared and over rotated the airplane. The airplane touched down hard, the nose wheel contacted the ground, bursting the tire. The airplane came to a stop on the right side of the runway, and the pilot egressed.
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: student
- Flight time: 66 hours in all; 66 in this make and model; 66 in the last 90 days; 66 in the last 30 days; 5 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 11,221 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, July 13, 2001; 14 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,200 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-D2J (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: DAY Dayton OH at 10:40 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 20, 5,000 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 140° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 86°F (30°C), dew point 73°F (23°C)
- Altimeter: 29.90 inHg
- Observation at 10:53 pm from MGY
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.