# NTSB CEN25LA350: Cessna 172R, N5181A, Ardmore, OK, August 28, 2025 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report - Date: August 27, 2025, 21:15 local (Aug 28, 2025, 02:15 UTC) - Place: Ardmore, OK - Coordinates: 34.303504, -97.016053 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=34.3035&lon=-97.0161&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 11, 2025 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish - NTSB office: Central Region - Parties: FAA - NTSB case key (mKey): 200897 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN25LA350 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/200897/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=200897 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN25LA350 ## Probable cause The pilot’s improper landing flare, which resulted in a hard, bounced landing. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Light condition: dark](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03036020): Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Effect on operation (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 172R, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03036020/cases.md?model=2072401), [All aircraft, 448 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03036020/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 172R, 75 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=2072401), [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/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 172R, 37 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062041/cases.md?model=2072401), [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: Hard landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092) (defining event); cases with it: [Cessna 172R, 34 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md?model=2072401), [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 172R, 25 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/090/sequence.md?model=2072401), [All aircraft, 1,506 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/090/sequence.md) ## Analysis The purpose of the flight was for the pilot to conduct solo night training to include takeoff and landing practice. The flight school reported that during the landing, the airplane bounced 3 to 4 times on the runway before coming to a stop. As a result of the hard landing, the airplane sustained substantial damage to the lower fuselage. The flight school chief pilot stated that a greater emphasis should have been placed on training for night illusions and that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N5181A](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N5181A), registered now, S/N 17281102, built 2002 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: CESSNA 172R - Registry model: [Cessna 172R](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172r) (registry code 2072401) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental IO-360 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-io-360-series) (registry code 17025, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 17281102 - Year built: 2002 - Airframe hours: 9592.7 - Engines: Lycoming IO-360-L2A 160 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Operator: Southeastern Oklahoma State University - Registered owner: Southeastern Oklahoma State University - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: 100 hour, August 8, 2025 - Departed: DUA, Durant, OK - Destination: Same as departure - Airport: ADM, Ardmore Muni, runway 13/31, 9,002 × 150 ft, concrete - Equipment: ADS-B ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 20; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, with waivers/limitations; last flight review January 27, 2025; seat: left; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 256 total, 107 in this make and model, 159 as pilot in command, 51 in the last 90 days, 28 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Night/dark - Wind: 100° at 7 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 73 °F, dew point 70 °F - Altimeter: 30.08 inHg - Observed at: KADM - METAR: KADM 280250Z 10007KT 10SM CLR 23/21 A3008 ## 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 20250827011429A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20250827011429A), Aug 27, 2025: Cessna 172R, Ardmore, OK, Substantial damage. On August 27, 2025 at 21:26 CDT, a Cessna 172 was involved in an accident during landing at Ardmore airport (kadm). The private pilot was conducting solo night… ## Other investigations on N5181A (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 DFW08CA021](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DFW08CA021), Oct 26, 2007: Cessna 172 (N5181A), Stillwater, OK, substantial damage. Probable cause: The student pilot's improper recovery from a bounced landing. ## Docket (2 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on December 11, 2025, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=200897. 3.3 MB in all. - Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 10 pages, 2.9 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=19581150&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=NTSB%20Report%20N5181A_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Investigation photographs (item 2, PDF, 3 pages, 2 photos, 448 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=19581370&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Photo%20Array-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.