# NTSB CEN25LA095: Cessna 172S, N798SP, Waco, TX, February 6, 2025 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report - Date: February 6, 2025, 14:10 local (20:10 UTC) - Place: Waco, TX - Coordinates: 31.637806, -97.074139 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=31.6378&lon=-97.0741&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Landing-flare/touchdown: Hard landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report December 18, 2025 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish - NTSB office: Central Region - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration - North Texas FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 199693 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN25LA095 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/199693/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=199693 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN25LA095 ## Probable cause The student pilot’s inadequate landing flare that led to a bounced landing, and her improper pitch control during the attempted recovery that resulted in a nose down pitch attitude upon the second touchdown. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Performance/control parameters: pitch control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062022): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Incorrect use/operation (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 172S, 26 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062022/cases.md?model=2072439), [All aircraft, 526 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062022/cases.md) - [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 172S, 206 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=2072439), [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/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: Hard landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092) (defining event); cases with it: [Cessna 172S, 102 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md?model=2072439), [All aircraft, 2,102 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md) - [Landing-flare/touchdown: Abnormal runway contact](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/090); cases with it: [Cessna 172S, 77 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/090/sequence.md?model=2072439), [All aircraft, 1,506 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/090/sequence.md) ## Analysis The student pilot reported that while conducting a solo flight she initially flared too high over the runway, but she decreased airplane pitch and continued with the landing. When she flared a second time, she did not use enough aft elevator input and the airplane landed flat, bounced, and then landed on the nose landing gear. After coming to a full stop, she notified the tower that she was unable to taxi, shutdown the engine, and exited the airplane at which point she saw that the propeller had struck the runway during the landing. Additional examination of the airframe revealed buckling of the lower fuselage structure. The chief pilot of the flight school reported that there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation of the airplane. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N798SP](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N798SP), registered now, S/N 172S8722, built 2001 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: CESSNA 172S - Registry model: [Cessna 172S](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172s) (registry code 2072439) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming I0360 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-i0360-series) (registry code 41515, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 172S8722 - Year built: 2001 - Airframe hours: 15874 - Engines: Lycoming IO-360-L2A 180 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Operator: Texas State Technical College - Registered owner: Texas State Technical College - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: 100 hour, January 24, 2025, 18 hours before - Departed: CNW, Waco, TX - Destination: CNW, Waco, TX - Airport: CNW, Texas State Tech College Waco Airport, runway 17L, 8,600 × 150 ft, asphalt - Equipment: Stall warning system, ADS-B ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 18; injuries: none; student; medical: class 1, without waivers/limitations; seat: left; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 51 total, 51 in this make and model, 2 as pilot in command, 24 in the last 90 days, 14 in the last 30 days, 2 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 190° at 8 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 81 °F, dew point 63 °F - Altimeter: 29.95 inHg - Observed at: CNW - METAR: KCNW 061955Z 19008KT 10SM CLR 27/17 A2995 ## 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 20250206013019A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20250206013019A), Feb 6, 2025: Cessna 172S, Waco, TX, Substantial damage. Student pilot departed cnw for a solo flight. After take off the pilot was not comfortable with the hazy skies and decided to turn around and land back at cnw.… ## Docket (2 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on December 18, 2025, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=199693. 4.6 MB in all. - Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 10 pages, 3.7 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=19573560&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=01%20-%20NTSB%20Form%206120_1_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Photos (item 2, PDF, 4 pages, 3 photos, 916 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=19573746&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=02%20-%20Investigation%20Photographs-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.