Cessna 152 accident near Franklin, Virginia, September 7, 2003
On September 7, 2003 at about 5:45 pm local time, a Cessna 152, registered N4725B, was substantially damaged in an accident near Franklin, Virginia (Franklin Muni-John Beverly Ros 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 student pilot's improper 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
- September 7, 2003 · about 5:45 pm local time
- Place
- Franklin, Virginia · Franklin Muni-John Beverly Ros · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 152 · all 152s on the register
- Registration
- N4725B · no longer on the register · serial 15283599
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The student pilot was landing on a 4,977-foot-long, 100-foot-wide, asphalt runway. He stated that everything appeared to progress normally until the point of the flare. At that time, the airplane ballooned and he pushed the nose of the airplane down. The nose wheel struck the runway and collapsed. The student pilot further stated that he did not experience any mechanical malfunctions. He added that the windsock registered little, if any wind.
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
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 53 hours in all; 52 in this make and model; 53 in the last 90 days; 15 in the last 30 days; 7 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 10,566 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 30, 2003; 96 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,670 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-N2C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: RIC Richmond VA at 5:00 pm
- Destination: FKN Franklin VA
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 9, 4,977 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 060° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 3,700 ft
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.04 inHg
- Observation at 5:40 pm from FKN
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.