# NTSB CEN26LA004: Cessna 172, N617SP, North La Junta, CO, October 2, 2025 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report - Date: October 2, 2025, 17:38 local (23:38 UTC) - Place: North La Junta, CO - Coordinates: 38.05, -103.50975 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=38.0500&lon=-103.5097&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: Minor injuries - Injuries: 1 minor - Status: Completed, report February 12, 2026 - 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): 201778 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN26LA004 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/201778/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=201778 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN26LA004 ## Probable cause The solo student pilot’s improper landing flare and subsequent improper recovery from a bounced landing. ## 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 · Student/instructed 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) - [Action: incorrect action performance](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041015): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Student/instructed pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 172S, 32 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041015/cases.md?model=2072439), [All aircraft, 1,386 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041015/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 172S, 99 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062041/cases.md?model=2072439), [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 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: Attempted remediation/recovery](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/060); cases with it: [Cessna 172S, 22 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/060/sequence.md?model=2072439), [All aircraft, 1,422 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/060/sequence.md) - [Landing-landing roll: Runway excursion](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300); cases with it: [Cessna 172S, 76 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300/sequence.md?model=2072439), [All aircraft, 3,643 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300/sequence.md) - [Landing-landing roll: Nose over/nose down](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/096); cases with it: [Cessna 172S, 34 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/096/sequence.md?model=2072439), [All aircraft, 2,287 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/096/sequence.md) ## Analysis According to the solo student pilot, the airplane bounced during the landing. She continued the landing, and on the last bounce, the left main landing gear went off the runway. The airplane exited the runway, and the pilot attempted to stop the airplane. The airplane nosed over and came to rest inverted, which resulted in substantial damage to the left wing, engine mount, and lower fuselage. The student pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N617SP](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N617SP), registered now, S/N 172S8606, built 2000 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: CESSNA 172 (S) - Registry model: [Cessna 172S](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172s) (registry code 2072439) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming I0360 SER A&C](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-i0360-ser-a-c) (registry code 41511, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 172S8606 - Year built: 2000 - Airframe hours: 11013.1 - Engines: Lycoming IO-360-L2A 180 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Operator: Edb Air Inc, doing business as Na - Registered owner: Edb Air Inc - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: 100 hour, September 22, 2025 - Departed: PUB, Pueblo, CO - Destination: LHX, La Junta, CO - Flight plan: VFR - Airport: LHX, La Junta Muni, runway 08/26, 6,849 × 75 ft, asphalt - Equipment: Stall warning system, ADS-B ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 55; injuries: minor; student; medical: class 3, with waivers/limitations; seat: left; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 61 total, 61 in this make and model, 5.7 as pilot in command, 28.1 in the last 90 days, 12 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 140° at 10 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 84 °F, dew point 45 °F - Altimeter: 30.12 inHg - Observed at: KLAA, 39 nm away - METAR: KLAA 022353Z AUTO 14010KT 10SM CLR 29/07 A3012 RMK AO2 SLP161 T02940072 10322 20267 55003= ## 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 20251002019389A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20251002019389A), Oct 2, 2025: Cessna 172S, La Junta, CO, Substantial damage. PIC is a student pilot conducting a solo flight. PIC stated they had a hard landing while landing at lhx. Upon contact with the runway, PIC stated they bounced… ## Docket (2 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on February 12, 2026, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=201778. 6.4 MB in all. - Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 10 pages, 5.1 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=19797033&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=NTSB%20FORM%206120.1_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Investigation photographs (item 2, PDF, 3 pages, 1.3 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=19797043&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Investigation%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.