Cessna 172L accident near Richland, Washington, April 7, 2009
On April 7, 2009 at about 8:00 pm local time, a Cessna 172L, registered N7582G, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Richland, Washington (Richland airport). It was a personal 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 pilot's improper landing flare.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 7, 2009 · about 8:00 pm local time
- Place
- Richland, Washington · Richland · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172L · all 172Ls on the register
- Registration
- N7582G · registry record · serial 17259282
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that he had not flown an airplane during the previous 6 months and that he intended to acquire currency by performing a series of stop-and-go landings. The pilot took off and performed the first landing without mishap. According to the pilot, during the second approach he flared out too high. Thereafter, the airplane impacted the runway in a nose-low attitude and bounced. The second contact occurred while in a nose-low attitude. After the hard landing, the pilot taxied off the runway and parked his airplane. A subsequent structural examination of the airplane revealed that the nose gear assembly was broken and the lower portion of the firewall was buckled.
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
- Hard landing during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Incorrect action performance › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Landing flare › Incorrect use/operation
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 263 hours in all; 263 in this make and model; 0 in the last 90 days; 0 in the last 30 days; 0 on instruments
- Last flight review: October 30, 2007
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,080 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 25, 2007; 1 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: RLD Richland WA at 7:30 pm
- Destination: RLD Richland WA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 01, 4,009 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 350° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.
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.