# Accident 20260107000279A: Cessna 172N, San Marcos, TX, January 7, 2026

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: January 7, 2026, 14:00 local time
- Place: San Marcos, TX
- Airport: San Marcos Regional
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Maneuver
- Operating rules: Pilot school (Part 141)
- Operator: W78S
- Location: 29.9012° N, 97.8577° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=29.9012&lon=-97.8577&mi=10
- Aircraft: N5136E, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N5136E) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Cessna 172N (registry code 2072434, https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172n) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming 0-320 series (registry code 41508, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA 172N
- Reported engine: LYCOMING 0-320 SERIES
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot, flight instructor
- Pilot flight hours: 471 total, 427 in this make and model, 109 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB CEN26LA092](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN26LA092) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20260107000279A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

ON JANUARY 7, 2026, AT APPROXIMATELY 1400 LOCAL TIME, A CESSNA 172N AIRCRAFT WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT DURING AN INSTRUCTIONAL FLIGHT MANEUVER TO SIMULATE AN ENGINE-OUT EMERGENCY AFTER ROTATION. THE PILOT PROCEEDED TO TAKE OFF ON RUNWAY 17 AND AFTER ROTATION STARTED TO PERFORM THE FLIGHT MANEUVER TO SIMULATE AN ENGINE OUT. UPON DESCENDING FOR LANDING ON RUNWAY 17, THE PILOT MAINTAINED CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT, HOWEVER, DURING TOUCHDOWN, THE AIRCRAFT EXPERIENCED A HARD LANDING, WHICH RESULTED IN THE NOSE LANDING GEAR BENDING FORWARD. PILOT WAS ABLE TO CONTINUE MAINTATING CONTROL TO TAXI THE AIRCRAFT BACK TO RAMP WITH NO FURTHER INCIDENT.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB CEN26LA092](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN26LA092), Jan 7, 2026: Cessna 172 (N5136E), San Marcos, TX, substantial damage. Probable cause: The flight instructor’s failure to properly configure the elevator trim for the takeoff, that resulted in a hard landing. Contributing to the accident was the flight instructor’s failure to follow…

## Other reports on N5136E (1)

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

- [Incident 20200606011079I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20200606011079I), Jun 6, 2020: Cessna 172N (N5136E), No damage. Aircraft was on an instructional flight when it experienced an electrical failure. The CFI stated there was a ?loss of charging power and gps/com 1 shut down.…

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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