# NTSB ERA25LA311: Cessna 172, N505LP, Gaithersburg, MD, August 21, 2025 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report - Date: August 21, 2025, 19:25 local (23:25 UTC) - Place: Gaithersburg, MD - Coordinates: 39.168333, -77.166 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.1683&lon=-77.1660&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Landing: Landing area overshoot](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/380) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report November 20, 2025 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish - NTSB office: Eastern Region Aviation - Parties: FAA/FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 200852 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA25LA311 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/200852/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=200852 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA25LA311 ## Probable cause The flight instructor’s distraction during landing, which resulted in a long landing and subsequent runway excursion. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Attention/monitoring: attention](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02021510): Personnel issues › Psychological · Instructor/check pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 172S, 4 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02021510/cases.md?model=2072439), [All aircraft, 226 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02021510/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Landing: Landing area overshoot](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/380) (defining event); cases with it: [Cessna 172S, 5 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/380/sequence.md?model=2072439), [All aircraft, 400 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/380/sequence.md) - [Landing: 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: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Cessna 172S, 118 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=2072439), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md) ## Analysis The flight instructor reported that the student pilot had an tablet computer in her lap. During the landing flare, the tablet interfered with the student pilot’s control input. In an attempt to assist the student, the flight instructor briefly diverted her attention from the landing, to shift the tablet away from the control yoke. When the flight instructor looked back outside, she realized that the airplane had floated more than halfway down the runway and had not touched down. She took control of the airplane but decided not to attempt a go-around due to trees at the runway end. The flight instructor applied full braking, but when she realized that the airplane was not going to stop on the runway, she steered left down a small embankment, rather than risk a larger embankment at the end of the runway. The nose landing gear partially collapsed, and the airplane came to rest upright off the left side end of the runway. The forward portion of the airplane’s fuselage was substantially damaged during the accident sequence. The flight instructor added that there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions with the airplane. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N505LP](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N505LP), registered now, S/N 172S8546, 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 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-i0360-series) (registry code 41515, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 172S8546 - Year built: 2000 - Airframe hours: 6011 - Engines: LYCOMING IO-360-L2A 180 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Operator: Wifa (Washington International Flight Academy) LLC - Registered owner: Wifa (Washington International Flight Academy) LLC - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: 100 hour, July 31, 2025 - Flight plan: VFR - Airport: GAI, Montgomery County Airpark, runway 32, 4,202 × 75 ft, asphalt - Equipment: Stall warning system, ADS-B ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Flight instructor; age 30; injuries: none; commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, without waivers/limitations; last flight review June 2, 2025; seat: right; flight hours: 394 total, 21 in this make and model, 329 as pilot in command, 86 in the last 90 days, 46 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours - Pilot; age 30; injuries: none; student; medical: class 3, without waivers/limitations; seat: left; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 46 total, 46 in this make and model, 26 in the last 90 days, 18 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: calm - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 2,200 ft broken - Temperature: 70 °F, dew point 70 °F - Altimeter: 29.95 inHg - Observed at: GAI - METAR: SPECI KGAI 212332Z AUTO 00000KT 10SM BKN022 BKN060 21/21 A2995 RMK AO2 PNO $= ## 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 20250821011479A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20250821011479A), Aug 21, 2025: Cessna 172S, Gaithersburg, MD, Substantial damage. During a training flight on August 21, 2025, a flight instructor and student pilot encountered control interference issues while landing on runway 32 at kgai,… ## Other investigations on N505LP (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 ERA21LA092](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA21LA092), Dec 22, 2020: Cessna 172S (N505LP), Culpeper, VA, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot’s decision to land the airplane in crosswind conditions that exceeded the airplane’s maximum demonstrated crosswind velocity. ## Docket (2 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on November 20, 2025, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=200852. 4.2 MB in all. - Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 13 pages, 3.6 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=19216223&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=6120_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Investigation photographs (item 2, PDF, 4 pages, 3 photos, 615 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=19215603&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.