# NTSB ANC26LA027: Cessna 172P, N53265, Centennial, CO, April 19, 2026 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report - Date: April 19, 2026, 09:50 local (15:50 UTC) - Place: Centennial, CO - Coordinates: 39.5701, -104.8493 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.5701&lon=-104.8493&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Landing-flare/touchdown: Aerodynamic stall/spin](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/241) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report October 15, 2026 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish - NTSB office: Alaska Regional Office - Parties: FAA/FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 202870 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ANC26LA027 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/202870/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=202870 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC26LA027 ## Probable cause The student pilot’s failure to maintain adequate airspeed during the flare which resulted in the airplane exceeding its critical angle of attack and aerodynamic stall at a low altitude and loss of airplane control. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 172P, 76 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=2072436), [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md) - [Performance/control parameters: airspeed](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062010): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 172P, 7 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062010/cases.md?model=2072436), [All aircraft, 1,681 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062010/cases.md) - [Performance/control parameters: angle of attack](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062042): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 172P, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062042/cases.md?model=2072436), [All aircraft, 990 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062042/cases.md) - [Performance/control parameters: landing flare](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062041): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 172P, 38 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062041/cases.md?model=2072436), [All aircraft, 1,285 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062041/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Landing-flare/touchdown: Aerodynamic stall/spin](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/241) (defining event); cases with it: [Cessna 172P, 10 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/241/sequence.md?model=2072436), [All aircraft, 1,529 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/241/sequence.md) - [Landing-flare/touchdown: Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240); cases with it: [Cessna 172P, 16 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence.md?model=2072436), [All aircraft, 5,002 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence.md) - [Landing-flare/touchdown: Attempted remediation/recovery](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/060); cases with it: [Cessna 172P, 13 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/060/sequence.md?model=2072436), [All aircraft, 1,422 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/060/sequence.md) - [Landing-flare/touchdown: Runway excursion](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300); cases with it: [Cessna 172P, 29 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300/sequence.md?model=2072436), [All aircraft, 3,643 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300/sequence.md) ## Analysis The student pilot stated she was practicing solo touch-and-go landings. On short final on the second touch-and-go she reported she was lined up with the runway and at the correct airspeed. As she began to flare the stall horn sounded and the airplane stalled, she lowered the nose and added power. The airplane drifted right and touched down to the right of the runway and proceeded down sloping terrain. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the wings. The student pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N53265](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N53265), registered now, S/N 17274714, built 1981 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: CESSNA 172P - Registry model: [Cessna 172P](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172p) (registry code 2072436) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-320 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (registry code 41508, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 17274714 - Year built: 1981 - Airframe hours: 16301 - Engines: LYCOMING O-320 SERIES 180 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Operator: Jeppesen Employees Flying Association - Registered owner: Jeppesen Employees Flying Association - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal; Standard, Utility - Last inspection: 100 hour, April 1, 2026, 9.5 hours before - Destination: Same as departure - Airport: APA, Centennial, runway 17R, 7,001 × 75 ft, asphalt - Equipment: Electronic primary flight display, ADS-B, Electronic multifunction display ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 17; injuries: none; student; medical: class 1, without waivers/limitations; seat: left; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 58 total, 47 in this make and model, 1 as pilot in command, 15 in the last 90 days, 8 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 140° at 4 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 55 °F, dew point 12 °F - Altimeter: 30.20 inHg - Observed at: APA, 1 nm away - METAR: METAR KAPA 191553Z 14004KT 10SM CLR 13/M11 A3020 RMK AO2 SLP202 T01281106 ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20260419004259A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20260419004259A), Apr 19, 2026: Cessna 172P, Centennial, CO, Substantial damage. On April 19, 2026, a runway excursion accident at Centennial Airport (kapa) occurred involving student pilot, video evidence indicated that a floating… ## Docket (2 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 15, 2026, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=202870. 9.9 MB in all. - Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 10 pages, 9.3 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=20350056&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=6120_1_Form_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Photos (item 2, PDF, 3 pages, 546 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=20349854&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Photots-Rel.pdf 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. --- 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.