Probable cause
The pilot's failure to compensate for wind conditions during landing, which resulted in a hard landing.
NTSB analysis
The pilot stated that he was returning to his home airport at the conclusion of a local flight, and that he aborted the first landing attempt due to turbulence and wind gusts. Following a second approach for landing, the airplane encountered a "gust of wind" from the left during the landing flare. The airplane banked right, and the nose landing gear subsequently contacted the runway "hard." Postaccident inspection revealed that the propeller had struck the runway during landing, and further examination revealed substantial damage to the engine firewall. The pilot reported there were no mechanical malfunctions or anomalies of the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for ERA14CA273 for the full record.
Event
- Date
- May 23, 2014
- Type
- Accident
- Place
- Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
- Nearest airport
- Capital City Airport (CXY)
- Highest injury
- None
- Weather
- Visual (VMC)
- Light
- Night
Cessna 172S
- N-number
- N193ME
- Category
- Airplane
- Year built
- 2000
- Damage
- Substantial
- Operating rule
- Part 91 (general aviation)
- Purpose of flight
- Personal
From the NTSB aviation accident database: N-registered aircraft, events since 2008, data through Oct 28, 2026. The file is published monthly, so the latest weeks are incomplete and recent records can change. The official source is the NTSB aviation investigation search. CheckAero is independent and not affiliated with the NTSB.