# NTSB investigations: Cessna 172R: Hard landing

NTSB aviation accident and incident investigations since 1962: the probable cause, findings, aircraft, crew, weather and docket of each, linked to the FAA registry and the FAA’s own reports.

## Latest cases

- [NTSB WPR26LA365](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR26LA365.md): Cessna 172R · Ho'olehua, HI · Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Investigation open · Sep 19, 2026 · N429ES · Substantial damage
- [NTSB CEN25LA350](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN25LA350.md): Cessna 172R · Ardmore, OK · Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report · Aug 28, 2025 · N5181A · Substantial damage
  > The pilot’s improper landing flare, which resulted in a hard, bounced landing.
- [NTSB ERA25LA323](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA25LA323.md): Cessna 172 · Spring Hill, FL · Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report · Aug 22, 2025 · N2460A · Substantial damage
  > The pilot’s improper landing flare, which resulted in a hard, bounced landing and substantial damage to the airplane’s fuselage.
- [NTSB ERA24LA364](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA24LA364.md): Cessna 172 · Louisa, VA · Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report · Aug 22, 2024 · N72664 · Substantial damage
  > The pilot’s improper landing flare which resulted in a hard landing.
- [NTSB CEN24LA349](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN24LA349.md): Cessna 172R · Hooper, NE · Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report · Jun 23, 2024 · N988CP · Substantial damage
  > The solo student pilot’s unstable approach to the runway, which resulted in a hard, bounced landing
- [NTSB CEN23LA292](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN23LA292.md): Cessna 172R · Burlington, VT · Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report · Jul 5, 2023 · N64AF · Substantial damage
  > The student pilot’s improper landing flare, which resulted in a hard, bounced landing and the flight instructor’s delayed remedial action.
- [NTSB CEN23LA256](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN23LA256.md): Cessna 172R · Romeoville, IL · Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report · May 23, 2023 · N674MA · Substantial damage
  > The student pilot’s failure to attain/maintain a proper landing flare and failure to perform a go-around that resulted in an impact with the runway.
- [NTSB ERA22LA385](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA22LA385.md): Cessna 172 · Kissimmee, FL · Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report · Aug 25, 2022 · N9968F · Substantial damage
  > The pilot’s improper landing flare and subsequent improper recovery from a bounced landing, which resulted in the nose landing gear impacting the runway.
- [NTSB WPR22LA167](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR22LA167.md): Cessna 172R · Redding, CA · Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report · Apr 25, 2022 · N9572W · Substantial damage
  > The student pilot's improper landing flare and remedial action which resulted in a bounced landing.
- [NTSB CEN22LA014](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN22LA014.md): Cessna 172R · Chesterfield, MO · Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report · Oct 9, 2021 · N24783 · Substantial damage
  > The pilot’s failure to maintain control of the airplane while landing in gusting wind conditions, which resulted in a hard, bounced landing and the nose landing gear collapsing..
- [NTSB ANC21LA100](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC21LA100.md): Cessna 172R · Birchwood, AK · Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report · Sep 18, 2021 · N35408 · Substantial damage
  > The flight instructor’s inadequate supervision of the student pilot, and student pilot’s improper landing flare, resulting in a hard landing.
- [NTSB WPR21LA269](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR21LA269.md): Cessna 172R · Petaluma, CA · Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report · Jul 10, 2021 · N996RA · Substantial damage
  > The pilot’s improper landing flare which resulted in a hard landing following a partial loss of electrical power. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s distraction and hampered visual function.
- [NTSB GAA18CA464](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA18CA464.md): Cessna 172 · Spring, TX · Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report · Jul 26, 2018 · N865CP · Substantial damage
  > The student pilot’s improper landing flare in a crosswind, which resulted in a hard landing.
- [NTSB GAA17CA389](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA17CA389.md): Cessna 172 · Shreveport, LA · Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report · Jul 3, 2017 · N2173Z · Substantial damage
  > The student’s improper landing flare, which resulted in a hard landing.
- [NTSB ERA17CA216](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA17CA216.md): Cessna 172 · Emporia, VA · Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report · Jun 28, 2017 · N2460A · Substantial damage
  > The student pilot's failure to maintain an adequate airspeed for landing and his improper landing flare and recovery from a bounced landing.
- [NTSB ERA17LA095](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA17LA095.md): Cessna 172 · Clearwater, FL · Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · Jan 26, 2017 · N2382R · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's improper landing flare, which resulted in damage to the engine firewall.
- [NTSB GAA17CA025](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA17CA025.md): Cessna 172 · Kapolei, HI · Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report · Oct 5, 2016 · N429ES · Substantial damage
  > The pilot’s use of an excessive pitch attitude during the landing flare, which resulted in a bounced landing.
- [NTSB GAA16CA343](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA16CA343.md): Cessna 172 · Frederick, MD · Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report · Jun 29, 2016 · N2473G · Substantial damage
  > The student pilot's failure to maintain pitch control during the touch down resulting in a bounced landing, subsequent hard landing and substantial damage to the firewall.
- [NTSB GAA16CA208](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA16CA208.md): Cessna 172 · Durant, OK · Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report · Apr 27, 2016 · N35387 · Substantial damage
  > The pilot candidate's incorrect action performance by pulling the throttle off early and the subsequent failure to maintain the descent rate, resulting in a hard landing.
- [NTSB GAA16CA059](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA16CA059.md): Cessna 172R · Westminster, MD · Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report · Nov 16, 2015 · N26499 · Substantial damage
  > The student pilot's failure to maintain pitch control during the landing, which resulted in a hard landing.
- [NTSB GAA15CA208](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA15CA208.md): Cessna 172R · North Vernon, IN · Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report · Jul 23, 2015 · N133VU · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's failure to maintain pitch control during the landing touchdown, resulting in a hard landing.
- [NTSB GAA15CA179](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA15CA179.md): Cessna 172R · Addison, TX · Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report · Jun 6, 2015 · N178AF · Substantial damage
  > The student pilot's failure to maintain pitch control during the landing touchdown, resulting in a hard landing.
- [NTSB GAA15CA119](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA15CA119.md): Cessna 172R · Beaver Falls, PA · Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report · May 28, 2015 · N984WU · Substantial damage
  > The student pilot's failure to maintain airplane attitude control during the landing, resulting in a hard landing.
- [NTSB GAA15CA099](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA15CA099.md): Cessna 172 - R · State College, PA · Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report · May 28, 2015 · N2254U · Substantial damage
  > The student pilot's failure to maintain adequate airspeed during the approach to landing which resulted in an aerodynamic stall and a hard landing.
- [NTSB WPR14CA274](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR14CA274.md): Cessna 172 - R · Buckeye, AZ · Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report · May 19, 2014 · N1590W · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's improper landing flare, which resulted in a hard landing.
- [NTSB ERA14CA121](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA14CA121.md): Cessna 172R · Fort Pierce, FL · Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report · Feb 3, 2014 · N828BM · Substantial damage
  > The student pilot's improper landing flare, which resulted in a hard landing.
- [NTSB ERA13CA044](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA13CA044.md): Cessna 172R · Miami, FL · Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report · Oct 20, 2012 · N974BC · Substantial damage
  > The flight instructor's improper power management during a steep, obstacle-clearance approach, which resulted in a hard landing.
- [NTSB WPR11CA472](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR11CA472.md): Cessna 172R · Napa, CA · Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report · Sep 28, 2011 · N21284 · Substantial damage
  > The student pilot's improper flare, which resulted in a hard landing.
- [NTSB ERA11CA490](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA11CA490.md): Cessna 172R · Naples, FL · Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report · Sep 14, 2011 · N10632 · Substantial damage
  > The student pilot's improper flare, which resulted in a hard landing and subsequent loss of directional control.
- [NTSB CEN11CA104](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN11CA104.md): Cessna 172R · Warrensburg, MO · Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report · Dec 2, 2010 · N465CM · Substantial damage
  > A hard landing for undetermined reasons.
- [NTSB CEN09CA217](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN09CA217.md): Cessna 172R · Lafayette, IN · Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report · Mar 17, 2009 · N2382R · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's improper flare. Contributing to the accident were the wind gusts.
- [NTSB DEN08LA111](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN08LA111.md): Cessna 172R · Tishomingo, OK · Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · Jun 21, 2008 · N5178Y · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control, resulting in an inadvertent stall during the landing flare. Contributing factors in this accident was the terrain-induced turbulence, and the instructor's inadequate supervision of the pilot.
- [NTSB LAX08LA121](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX08LA121.md): Cessna 172R · S. Lake Tahoe, CA · Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · Apr 19, 2008 · N2384L · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's improper flare and subsequent hard landing. Contributing to the accident were the gusty winds and the high density altitude.
- [NTSB NYC08CA135](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC08CA135.md): Cessna 172R · Richmond, VA · Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report · Mar 9, 2008 · N24619 · Substantial damage
  > The student pilot's improper flare, which resulted in a hard landing.

## The whole list in SQL

Runs in DuckDB 1.2 or later on the release's Parquet files over HTTPS:

```sql
SELECT c."ntsbNumber", c."eventDate", c."eventType", c."eventCity", c."eventStateOrRegion", a.n_number, a."aircraftMake", a."aircraftModel", c."highestInjuryLevel", c."totalFatal", c."completionStatus", c.report_url
FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_case_detail.parquet' c LEFT JOIN 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_aircrafts.parquet' a ON a.case_mkey = c."mKey" AND a.position = 1
WHERE c."mKey" IN (SELECT x.case_mkey FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_aircrafts.parquet' x WHERE x.aircraft_model_code IN ('2072401')
    AND EXISTS (SELECT 1 FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_events.parquet' s WHERE s.case_mkey = x.case_mkey AND s.aircrafts_position = x.position AND s."tier2Number" = '092' AND s.case_mkey IN (SELECT case_mkey FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_events.parquet' WHERE "isDefiningEvent")))
ORDER BY c."eventDate" DESC, c."ntsbNumber" DESC
```

This list as a web page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence?model=2072401

---
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.