# NTSB WPR25LA243: Cessna 172N, N734SW, Ronan, MT, August 8, 2025 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report - Date: August 8, 2025, 09:04 local (15:04 UTC) - Place: Ronan, MT - Coordinates: 47.566295, -114.10074 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=47.5663&lon=-114.1007&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Landing-flare/touchdown: Abnormal runway contact](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/090) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report October 17, 2025 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish - NTSB office: Western Pacific Region - Parties: FAA - NTSB case key (mKey): 200741 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=WPR25LA243 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/200741/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=200741 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR25LA243 ## Probable cause The student pilot's inadequate landing flare and 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 172N, 150 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=2072434), [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/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 172N, 38 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062041/cases.md?model=2072434), [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: Abnormal runway contact](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/090) (defining event); cases with it: [Cessna 172N, 26 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/090/sequence.md?model=2072434), [All aircraft, 1,506 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/090/sequence.md) - [Landing-flare/touchdown: Hard landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092); cases with it: [Cessna 172N, 46 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md?model=2072434), [All aircraft, 2,102 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md) ## Analysis The purpose of the flight was for the student pilot to perform a solo cross-country and land at the accident airport. The student pilot stated that following a stabilized approach, he did not properly maneuver the airplane into a flare. The airplane touched down hard on the runway surface and bounced back into the air. The airplane then touched down again and then bounced multiple times, porpoising along the runway. As a result of the impact, the airplane incurred damage to the firewall. The student pilot noted that he failed to add engine power to correct the self-induced oscillation. He stated that there were no pre-impact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N734SW](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N734SW), registered now, S/N 17269086, built 1977 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: CESSNA 172N - Registry model: [Cessna 172N](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172n) (registry code 2072434) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-320 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (registry code 41508, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 17269086 - Year built: 1977 - Airframe hours: 15863 - Engines: LYCOMING O-320-H2AD 160 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Operator: Red Eagle Aviation - Registered owner: Sierra Sky Aviation LLC - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: 100 hour, July 16, 2025, 11 hours before - Departed: S27, Kalispell, MT - Airport: 7S0, Ronan, runway 16/34, 4,798 × 75 ft, asphalt - Equipment: ADS-B ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Student pilot; age 17; injuries: none; student; medical: class 1, without waivers/limitations; seat: left; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 37 total, 37 in this make and model, 6 as pilot in command ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 170° at 2 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 52 °F, dew point 46 °F - Altimeter: 30.07 inHg - Observed at: 7S0 ## 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 20250808010589A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20250808010589A), Aug 8, 2025: Cessna 172N, Ronan, MT, Substantial damage. Sas task T-NM05-FY25-0529 Sas ar NM05202502208 and NM05202502257 Description of the deviation: While operating on a solo cross-country flight on August 8, 2025… ## Docket (2 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 17, 2025, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=200741. 3.0 MB in all. - Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 12 pages, 2.7 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=19311599&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=WPR25LA243-%20Attachment%2001%20-%206120.1_20250814_153007-clean_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Photographs (provided by operator) (item 2, PDF, 2 pages, 286 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=19312290&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=WPR25LA243-%20Attachment%2002%20-%20Photos-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.