Cessna 172F N5424R accident near Fayetteville, North Carolina

Probable cause

The pilot’s failure to maintain directional control during the landing, which resulted in a runway excursion and subsequent noseover.

NTSB analysis

The pilot was landing the airplane on a 3,500-ft-long runway and reported that the airplane was “long and fast” during the approach. The airplane floated down the runway before eventually touching down. Seeing that the end of the runway was approaching, the pilot applied the brakes. After the nose landing gear touched down, the airplane veered off the runway to the left. As it departed the runway surface, the propeller struck the ground and the airplane nosed over. The airplane’s fuselage, left wing, and vertical stabilizer were substantially damaged. The pilot reported that there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures of the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for ERA21LA176 for the full record.