| Crash location | 42.328056°N, 72.611389°W |
| Nearest city | Northampton, MA
42.325090°N, 72.641201°W 1.5 miles away |
| Tail number | N811P |
|---|---|
| Accident date | 16 Oct 2001 |
| Aircraft type | Cessna 172L |
| Additional details: | None |
On October 16, 2001, about 2000 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 172L, N811P, was substantially damaged while landing at the Northampton Airport (7B2), Northampton, Massachusetts. The certificated private pilot was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and an instrument flight rules (IFR) flight plan had been filed for the flight that departed the Taunton Airport, Taunton, Massachusetts. The personal flight was conducted under 14 CFR Part 91.
In a written statement, the pilot said he cancelled his IFR flight plan when he had 7B2 in-sight, and then entered the traffic pattern for runway 14, a 3,506-foot long, 50-foot wide, asphalt runway. While on final approach, the pilot's left foot momentarily became caught under the right rudder pedal. The pilot freed his foot and was about 10 to 15 feet above the runway, when the "airspeed got too slow" and the airplane dropped onto the runway.
The airplane sustained substantial damage to the landing gear, wings, and engine.
The pilot reported about 145 hours of total flight experience, with about 35 hours in make and model. The pilot further stated he did not experience and mechanical problems with the airplane.
The winds reported at an airport about 10 miles south-southeast of 7B2, at 1955, were from 110 degrees at 5 knots.
The pilots' failure to maintain airspeed, which resulted in a loss of control and a hard landing.