Low-Altitude Maneuvering · NTSB CEN10FA181
CESSNA 172D — Hillsboro, OH
| Date | April 2, 2010 |
| Location | Hillsboro, OH |
| Aircraft | CESSNA 172D |
| Purpose of flight | Personal |
| Conditions | Night · Visual Meteorological Cond |
| Phase / occurrence | Maneuvering Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) |
| Pilot age | 46 |
| Pilot total time | 350 hrs · Building experience |
| Time in type | Unknown |
| Fatalities | 1 |
Probable cause
NTSB findings
- Not determined-Not determined-(general)-(general)-Unknown/Not determined - C
What happened
A witness located about 1/2 mile southeast of the accident site heard the sound of an airplane engine increasing in power followed by a crash. He estimated that this occurred within a few seconds and heard no sounds after the crash. The airplane wreckage was located the following morning at the departure airport, where the airplane had impacted the runway pavement about 100 feet from the threshold. A depression (crater) in the runway pavement was present at the impact point, and the pavement exhibited other impressions consistent with impact from the wings, propeller, and nose landing gear. The airplane was fragmented and the wings and empennage had separated from the fuselage. The main wreckage was located within 20 feet of the point of impact. The entire debris field was within approximately 75 feet of the impact point. Examination of the airframe and engine did not reveal any anomalies consistent with a preimpact failure or malfunction. The impressions in the runway pavement, the distribution of the wreckage, and the extensive damage to the airplane were consistent with a high-power, high-angle impact with the runway pavement.