Cessna 172P accident near Lancaster, Pennsylvania, June 19, 2008
On June 19, 2008 at about 1:30 pm local time, a Cessna 172P, registered N52632, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Lancaster, Pennsylvania (Lancaster 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 failure to maintain directional control during the landing rollout.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 19, 2008 · about 1:30 pm local time
- Place
- Lancaster, Pennsylvania · Lancaster Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172P · all 172Ps on the register
- Registration
- N52632 · no longer on the register · serial 17274571
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During the landing roll on runway 31, the student pilot of the Cessna 172P, depressed the brakes and felt the left brake "sinking." He then applied both brakes again, and the airplane veered to the right, into the grass. As the airplane departed the right side of the runway, it struck a runway light and a taxiway sign. The student pilot reported 41 hours of total flight experience, 7 of which were as pilot-in-command. He reported no mechanical anomalies with the airplane. Examination of the airplane revealed substantial damage to the fuselage, and no preimpact anomalies with the brake system. The winds reported at the airport approximately 40 minutes prior to the accident, were from 300 degrees at 5 knots.
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
What happened, in order
- Loss of control on ground during landing (landing roll) defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Sign/marker › Not specified
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 41 hours in all; 30 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 7,369 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 1, 2008
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Washington Flying Club
The flight
- Departed from: GAI Gaithersburg MD at 12:00 pm
- Destination: LNS Lancaster PA
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 31, 4,102 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 300° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 29.93 inHg
- Observation at 12:53 pm from LNS
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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 N52632 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.