Cessna 172M accident near Danbury, Connecticut, August 26, 2001
On August 26, 2001 at about 3:02 pm local time, a Cessna 172M, registered N9869Q, was substantially damaged in an accident near Danbury, Connecticut (Danbury Municipal Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
An inoperative airspeed indicator and the pilot's improper recovery from the bounced landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 26, 2001 · about 3:02 pm local time
- Place
- Danbury, Connecticut · Danbury Municipal Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172M · all 172Ms on the register
- Registration
- N9869Q · registry record · serial 17265813
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that the airspeed indicator was operative during the takeoff roll. However, after becoming airborne, it returned to zero, and stayed there. The pilot remained in the traffic pattern and returned for a landing. Full flaps were added prior to touchdown. Upon initial touchdown, the airplane bounced. The pilot added power, and when he removed the power, the airplane bounced again. The pilot reported that the airplane bounced at least twice prior to departing the right side of the runway. Witnesses reported it bounced five or six times. The nose landing gear tire was blown, the firewall was wrinkled, and the supporting structure behind the firewall was bent.
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: 229 hours in all; 5 in this make and model; 1 in the last 90 days; 170 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: August 1, 1999
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,243.5 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, August 24, 2001; 3.9 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A4M (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: North American Aviation Inc.
The flight
- Departed from: DXR Danbury CT at 3:00 pm
- Destination: DXR Danbury CT
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 17, 3,135 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 170° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 30.12 inHg
- Observation at 2:53 pm from DXR
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number NYC01LA219.