# Abnormal runway contact - Type: NTSB defining event - NTSB code: 090 - CICTT category: Abnormal Runway Contact - Defining event in: 672 cases - In the sequence of: 1,506 cases - Fatal cases: 15 - All cases: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/090/cases.md - Cases with it anywhere in the sequence: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/090/sequence.md - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/090 ## Cases per year (defining / in the sequence) - 2008: 19 / 55 - 2009: 47 / 98 - 2010: 42 / 80 - 2011: 38 / 79 - 2012: 39 / 91 - 2013: 28 / 61 - 2014: 42 / 67 - 2015: 36 / 99 - 2016: 58 / 144 - 2017: 45 / 107 - 2018: 59 / 129 - 2019: 34 / 94 - 2020: 37 / 72 - 2021: 33 / 72 - 2022: 20 / 46 - 2023: 20 / 49 - 2024: 26 / 63 - 2025: 33 / 58 - 2026: 16 / 42 ## Phase of flight - Landing-flare/touchdown: 413 cases - Landing: 153 cases - Landing-landing roll: 36 cases - Takeoff: 29 cases - Approach-VFR go-around: 13 cases - Takeoff-rejected takeoff: 13 cases - Landing-aborted after touchdown: 12 cases - Unknown: 1 cases - Other: 1 cases - Approach-IFR missed approach: 1 cases ## In the probable cause of these cases - [Aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040) (Personnel issues): 454 cases - [Landing flare](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062041) (Aircraft): 293 cases - [Incorrect action performance](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041015) (Personnel issues): 69 cases - [Decision making/judgment](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520) (Personnel issues): 68 cases - [Directional control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020) (Aircraft): 66 cases - [Pitch control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062022) (Aircraft): 64 cases - [Delayed action](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041025) (Personnel issues): 40 cases - [Airspeed](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062010) (Aircraft): 31 cases - [Descent/approach/glide path](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062040) (Aircraft): 26 cases - [Performance/control parameters, general](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062000) (Aircraft): 22 cases ## Aircraft models (registry) - [Cessna 172S](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172s): 42 cases - [Cessna 152](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-152): 28 cases - [Cessna 172M](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172m): 15 cases - [Cessna 172N](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172n): 14 cases - [Cessna 172R](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172r): 13 cases - [Piper PA-18-150](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-18-150): 9 cases - [Cessna 172P](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172p): 9 cases - [Diamond Aircraft Ind DA20-C1](https://openairdocs.org/model/diamond-aircraft-ind-da20-c1): 7 cases - [Cirrus Design SR22](https://openairdocs.org/model/cirrus-design-sr22): 7 cases - [Cessna 182P](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-182p): 6 cases ## Newest cases - [NTSB DCA26WA355](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DCA26WA355), Sep 6, 2026: Boeing 767-338 (N373CM), Guatemala City, Guatemala, substantial damage - [NTSB WPR26LA265](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR26LA265), Jul 17, 2026: Vans RV-7A (N987CW), Covington, WA, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot’s improper pitch control during landing, which resulted in a bounced landing, nose landing gear collapse, and nose over. - [NTSB ERA26LA267](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA26LA267), Jul 9, 2026: Stits Playmate (N21JB), Green Cove Springs, FL, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot’s improper landing flare, which resulted in a hard landing. - [NTSB ERA26LA242](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA26LA242), Jun 13, 2026: Scoda Aeronautica Ltda Super Petrel XP (N817PP), New York, NY, substantial damage, investigation ongoing - [NTSB WPR26LA215](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR26LA215), Jun 9, 2026: Cessna 172 (N1330Y), Cleburne, TX, substantial damage, investigation ongoing - [NTSB WPR26LA231](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR26LA231), Jun 6, 2026: Joseph Donahue S-7 Rans (N4186J), Wessington Springs, SD, substantial damage, investigation ongoing - [NTSB CEN26LA196](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN26LA196), May 24, 2026: Guenther Glen A Searey LSX (N379GG), Briarcliff, TX, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's failure to maintain sufficient altitude and aircraft control during the base to final turn, which resulted in the airplane impacting the water. Contributing to the accident was reported… - [NTSB WPR26LA136](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR26LA136), Mar 22, 2026: Cessna 162 (N163TW), Chehalis, WA, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot’s improper recovery from a bounced landing, which resulted in a tail strike. - [NTSB WPR26LA131](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR26LA131), Mar 21, 2026: Aerospatiale SA341G Gazelle (N71FR), Winslow, AZ, substantial damage, investigation ongoing - [NTSB WPR26LA128](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR26LA128), Mar 15, 2026: Cessna 177 (N178DR), Cottonwood, AZ, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot’s improper flare, which resulted in a hard landing. NTSB has coded findings and defining events since 2008; earlier cases used its older occurrence and cause codes and aren't counted. Findings: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings.md. Defining events: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events.md. Phases of flight: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases.md. Every investigation, filtered by finding, event, phase, state, year or model: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb.md (for example ?state=MI&fatal=1). NTSB's definitions: Accident and incident, 49 CFR 830.2 (https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-49/subtitle-B/chapter-VIII/part-830/subpart-A/section-830.2), CICTT occurrence categories (PDF) (https://www.ntsb.gov/safety/data/Documents/datafiles/OccurrenceCategoryDefinitions.pdf), CICTT phases of flight (PDF) (https://www.ntsb.gov/safety/data/Documents/datafiles/PhaseofFlightDefinitions.pdf), and NTSB coding manual, before 2008 (PDF) (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). NTSB publishes no definitions for its findings, only their names. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.