# NTSB CEN26LA133: Cessna 172S, N1071Z, Denver, CO, February 28, 2026

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report
- Date: February 28, 2026, 11:45 local (18:45 UTC)
- Place: Denver, CO
- Coordinates: 39.570119, -104.84929
- 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: Abnormal runway contact](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/090)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 1 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report April 30, 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): 202604
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN26LA133
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/202604/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=202604
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN26LA133

## Probable cause

The solo student pilot's improper landing flare and subsequent improper recovery from a bounced landing which resulted in substantial damage to the airplane.

## Findings

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

- [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)
- [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)

## Sequence of events

The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened.

- [Landing: Abnormal runway contact](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/090) (defining event); 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)
- [Landing: Miscellaneous/other](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/900); cases with it: [Cessna 172S, 28 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/900/sequence.md?model=2072439), [All aircraft, 1,556 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/900/sequence.md)

## Analysis

The student pilot was landing the airplane after a solo practice flight. During the landing he recalled that the airplane touched down for a few seconds then went airborne again a few feet above the runway. The pilot lowered the nose of the airplane and the airplane landed hard and flat. A security camera video of the event showed the airplane dip momentarily on short final before touch down, followed by a bounced landing where pitch was held relatively steady, followed by a second bounce. The nose of the airplane pitched down and the airplane touched down nose landing gear first, followed by another bounce up and another pitch down after which the airplane stayed on the runway and rolled out. Post event inspection of the airplane showed that the fuselage sustained substantial damage. The student pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N1071Z](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N1071Z), registered now, S/N 172S9826, built 2005 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA 172S
- Registry model: [Cessna 172S](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172s) (registry code 2072439) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Lycoming IO-360-L2A](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-io-360-l2a) (registry code 41597, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 172S9826
- Year built: 2005
- Airframe hours: 6528.8
- Engines: Lycoming IO-360-L2A 180 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Operator: Aspen Flying Club
- Registered owner: 5280 Flying Club LLC
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: 100 hour, February 17, 2026
- Departed: KAPA, Centennial, CO
- Airport: KAPA, Centennial Airport, runway 35L, 7,001 × 75 ft, asphalt
- Equipment: ADS-B

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 62; injuries: none; student; medical: class 3, with waivers/limitations; seat: left; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 159 total, 149 in this make and model, 11 as pilot in command, 27 in the last 90 days, 22 in the last 30 days, 2 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 50° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Temperature: 64 °F, dew point 1 °F
- Altimeter: 30.04 inHg
- Observed at: KAPA, 1 nm away
- METAR: METAR KAPA 281853Z 05004KT 10SM FEW140 FEW220 18/M17 A3004 RMK AO2 SLP143 T01781172=

## 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 20260228002599A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20260228002599A), Feb 28, 2026: Cessna 172S, Centennial, CO, Substantial damage. Student pilot returning to kapa after a solo flight landing runway 35L. While on final, student pilot thought he felt low level wind shears, elected to land at…

## Docket (4 files)

The files NTSB released with the investigation on April 30, 2026, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=202604. 26.2 MB in all.

- Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 - student pilot (item 1, PDF, 13 pages, 3.8 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=20146180&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=CEN26LA133%20-%206120%20-%20STUDENT%20PILOT_Redacted-Rel.pdf
- Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 - operator (item 2, PDF, 2 pages, 1.6 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=20145145&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=CEN26LA133%20-%206120%20-%20OPERATOR_Redacted-Rel.pdf
- Photos (item 3, PDF, 3 pages, 2 photos, 114 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=20145330&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=CEN26LA133%20-%20PHOTOS-Rel.pdf
- Video file (item 4, AVI, 20.6 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=20145696&FileExtension=avi&FileName=N1071Z%20Porpoise-Rel.avi

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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