# NTSB CEN26LA113: Costruzioni Aeronautiche Tecna P-MENTOR, N316VV, Des Moines, IA, February 11, 2026

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report
- Date: February 11, 2026, 13:30 local (19:30 UTC)
- Place: Des Moines, IA
- Coordinates: 41.532443, -93.656731 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=41.5324&lon=-93.6567&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Landing-flare/touchdown: Loss of control on ground](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 1 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report April 16, 2026
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office: Central Region
- Parties: FAA FSDO
- NTSB case key (mKey): 202425
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN26LA113
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/202425/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=202425
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN26LA113

## Probable cause

The solo student pilot’s improper landing flare and subsequent improper recovery from a bounced landing, which resulted in a loss of directional control and a runway excursion.

## Findings

NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause.

- [Action: delayed action](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041025): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Student/instructed pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Costruzioni Aeronautiche Tecna P-MENTOR, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041025/cases.md?model=0330565), [All aircraft, 894 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041025/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: [Costruzioni Aeronautiche Tecna P-MENTOR, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062041/cases.md?model=0330565), [All aircraft, 1,285 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062041/cases.md)
- [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Student/instructed pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Costruzioni Aeronautiche Tecna P-MENTOR, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=0330565), [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: [Costruzioni Aeronautiche Tecna P-MENTOR, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041015/cases.md?model=0330565), [All aircraft, 1,386 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041015/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); cases with it: [Costruzioni Aeronautiche Tecna P-MENTOR, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md?model=0330565), [All aircraft, 2,102 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md)
- [Landing-flare/touchdown: Loss of control on ground](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230) (defining event); cases with it: [Costruzioni Aeronautiche Tecna P-MENTOR, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230/sequence.md?model=0330565), [All aircraft, 4,585 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230/sequence.md)
- [Landing-landing roll: Runway excursion](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300); cases with it: [Costruzioni Aeronautiche Tecna P-MENTOR, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300/sequence.md?model=0330565), [All aircraft, 3,643 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300/sequence.md)
- [Landing-landing roll: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Costruzioni Aeronautiche Tecna P-MENTOR, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=0330565), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md)
- [Post-impact: Evacuation](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/460); cases with it: [Costruzioni Aeronautiche Tecna P-MENTOR, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/460/sequence.md?model=0330565), [All aircraft, 103 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/460/sequence.md)

## Analysis

The solo student pilot reported that during the approach to the runway, she reduced the engine power while over the runway threshold. The airplane floated, it landed hard on the runway, and then it bounced. After a second bounce, the student pilot applied the brakes. The airplane bounced a third time and departed the runway to the left. During the runway excursion, the left wing impacted a runway sign. The airplane came to rest upright on a grass field near the runway. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing and the engine mount. The student pilot reported there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airframe or the engine that would have precluded normal operation.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N316VV](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N316VV), registered now, S/N 1111/US, built 2024 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: COSTRUZIONI AERONAUTICHE TECNA P-MENTOR
- Registry model: [Costruzioni Aeronautiche Tecna P-MENTOR](https://openairdocs.org/model/costruzioni-aeronautiche-tecna-p-mentor) (registry code 0330565) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Rotax 912ISC series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/rotax-912isc-series) (registry code 55591, 4 cycle) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 1111/US
- Year built: 2024
- Airframe hours: 712
- Engines: Rotax Aircraft Engines 912iSC 100 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Operator: Vertical Vision Flight Academy, doing business as Vertical Vision Flight Academy
- Registered owner: Golden Age N316vv LLC
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: Annual, January 22, 2026, 36.2 hours before
- Departed: DSM, Des Moines, IA
- Destination: DSM, Des Moines, IA
- Airport: DSM, Des Moines Intl, runway 31, 9,001 × 150 ft, concrete
- Equipment: ADS-B, Auto-pilot, Electronic multifunction display, Electronic primary flight display

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 42; injuries: none; student; medical: class 2, waiver time limited special; last flight review February 2, 2026; seat: left; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 43.9 total, 43.9 in this make and model, 0.7 as pilot in command, 35.9 in the last 90 days, 13.1 in the last 30 days, 0 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 260° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Temperature: 48 °F, dew point 21 °F
- Altimeter: 30.31 inHg
- Observed at: KDSM
- METAR: METAR KDSM 111854Z 26007KT 10SM FEW200 SCT250 09/M06 A3031 RMK AO2 SLP270 T00891056

## 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 20260211001299A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20260211001299A), Feb 11, 2026: Costruzioni Aeronautiche Tecna P-MENTOR, Des Moines, IA, Substantial damage. The student pilot sucessfully completed the first touch-and-go maneuver without incident. The student pilot approached the runway faster than during her first…

## Docket (3 files)

The files NTSB released with the investigation on April 16, 2026, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=202425. 9.2 MB in all.

- Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 11 pages, 6.5 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=19980163&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=CEN26LA113%20pilot%206120_Redacted-Rel.pdf
- Photos (item 2, PDF, 6 pages, 2.0 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=20091890&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=CEN26LA113%20NTSB%20Investigation%20Photos%20redacted-Rel.pdf
- Release of aircraft wreckage, NTSB form 6120.15 (item 3, PDF, 1 page, 678 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=20090478&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=CEN26LA113%206120.15%20N316VV%20wreckage%20release_Redacted-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.

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