Cessna 172P accident near Lawrence, Massachusetts, April 2, 1999
On April 2, 1999 at about 1:56 pm local time, a Cessna 172P, registered N66162, was substantially damaged in an accident near Lawrence, Massachusetts (Lawrence Municipal 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, and his improper recover from a bounced landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 2, 1999 · about 1:56 pm local time
- Place
- Lawrence, Massachusetts · Lawrence Municipal
- 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
- N66162 · no longer on the register · serial 17275973
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
After a dual instructional flight, the student pilot (SP) departed for his first solo flight. The SP was attempting a touch and go landing, when the airplane's nose wheel contacted the runway, and the airplane bounced back up into the air. The airplane bounced two to three times, and it's propeller struck the runway. The airplane came to rest on the runway. Examination of the airplane did not reveal evidence of any pre-impact mechanical malfunctions of the airframe or engine. The airplane's nose gear had been driven up into the fuselage, damaging the firewall. The SP reported 35 hours of total flight experience, of which, 24 hours were in the past 90 days.
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: 35 hours in all; 24 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 7,000 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection; 75 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: LWM at 1:53 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 5, 5,000 ft by 159 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 080° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 4,300 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 46°F (8°C), dew point 28°F (-2°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:50 pm from LWM
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 N66162 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.