- Date
- May 27, 2026, 16:00 local (20:00 UTC)
- Place
- Naubinway, MI
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N3984FCessna 172
- Defining event
- Landing-flare/touchdown: Hard landing
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report July 30, 2026
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class
- Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Parties
- FAA
- Case key
- 203067
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The pilot’s improper engine power application during the landing flare, which resulted in a hard, bounced landing and nose over.
Findings · 2
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The pilot was on the final approach to the runway and reduced engine power too early resulting in a hard, bounced landing during which the nose landing gear collapsed, and the airplane nosed over. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the vertical stabilizer, rudder, both wings, and both wing struts. The pilot stated to an FAA inspector that there were no mechanical issues with the airplane before the accident and that it was due to pilot error.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N3984F
- Reported as
- Cessna 172
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 36884
- Built
- 1958
- Airframe hours
- 6,508
- Engine
- Continental O-300A, 145 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · April 4, 2026
- Departed
- SLH · Cheboygan, MI
- Destination
- MI69 · Naubinway, MI
- Airport
- MI69 · Hiawatha Sportsmans Club Airport, runway 26, 2,400 × 100 ft, grass/turf
- Equipment
- Stall warning system
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 72
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- BasicMed, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- November 16, 2024
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- Lap only
- Flight hours
- 420 total · 420 in this make and model · 1.5 in the last 90 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 350° at 12 knots, gusting 16
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 73 °F, dew point 43 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.05 inHg
- Observed at
- KERY, 11 nm away
- METAR
- METAR KERY 271935Z AUTO 35012G16KT 10SM CLR 23/06 A3005 RMK AO2