Cessna 172E accident near Lemont Furnace, Pennsylvania, August 30, 2003
On August 30, 2003 at about 11:10 pm local time, a Cessna 172E, registered N5628T, was destroyed in an accident near Lemont Furnace, Pennsylvania (Connellsville Airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's improper bounced landing recovery. A factor was the pilot's inadequate flare during the initial touchdown.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 30, 2003 · about 11:10 pm local time
- Place
- Lemont Furnace, Pennsylvania · Connellsville Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172E · all 172Es on the register
- Registration
- N5628T · registry record · serial 1751628
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The student pilot had performed 2 takeoffs and landings with no problems. On the third takeoff, after becoming airborne, she thought the airplane was not accelerating as she expected. She lowered the nose and still did not see the acceleration she expected. She said the airspeed was near 60 knots, and as the airplane neared mid-field, she decided to abort the takeoff and retarded the throttle. The airplane hit hard and bounced into the air. She then pushed the control yoke forward and the airplane contacted the runway in a nose low attitude. The nose landing gear collapsed rearward, and a fire developed in the engine compartment as the airplane slid. When the airplane came to rest, the student pilot exited the airplane. A witness reported hearing a "pop" after he observed the airplane level off. Examination of the airplane by an FAA inspector did not find any evidence of a mechanical failure or malfunction.
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: 57 hours in all; 17 in this make and model; 17 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 15 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-300-D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: VVS Connellsville PA at 11:10 pm
- Destination: VVS Connellsville PA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 05
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.