Cessna 172N accident near Easton, Maryland, February 12, 2004
On February 12, 2004 at about 10:05 pm local time, a Cessna 172N, registered N734AT, was substantially damaged in an accident near Easton, Maryland (Easton 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
- February 12, 2004 · about 10:05 pm local time
- Place
- Easton, Maryland · Easton Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172N · all 172Ns on the register
- Registration
- N734AT · no longer on the register · serial 17268708
- 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 conducting supervised solo flights. While landing, he "accidentally" struck the runway with the propeller. The airplane was then taxied to the ramp area, and secured. According to the student pilot's flight instructor, who was supervising the solo flights, the airplane appeared to flare too high and began to porpoise.
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: 10 hours in all; 10 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ESN Easton MD at 9:45 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 22, 5,500 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 200° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 7,000 ft
- Temperature: 32°F (0°C), dew point 28°F (-2°C)
- Observation at 9:55 pm from ADW
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.
Other NTSB records under N734AT 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.