# NTSB WPR25LA296: Cessna 172M, N20490, Albany, OR, August 19, 2025 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report - Date: August 18, 2025, 17:05 local (Aug 19, 2025, 00:05 UTC) - Place: Albany, OR · S12 - Coordinates: 44.64, -123.06 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=44.6400&lon=-123.0600&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 30, 2025 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish - NTSB office: Western Pacific Region - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration - NTSB case key (mKey): 201731 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=WPR25LA296 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/201731/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=201731 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR25LA296 ## Probable cause The pilot’s improper landing flare and subsequent improper recovery from a bounced landing. ## 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 172M, 37 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062041/cases.md?model=2072418), [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 · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 172M, 123 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=2072418), [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 · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 172M, 19 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041015/cases.md?model=2072418), [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: Abnormal runway contact](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/090) (defining event); cases with it: [Cessna 172M, 30 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/090/sequence.md?model=2072418), [All aircraft, 1,506 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/090/sequence.md) - [Landing-flare/touchdown: Attempted remediation/recovery](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/060); cases with it: [Cessna 172M, 19 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/060/sequence.md?model=2072418), [All aircraft, 1,422 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/060/sequence.md) - [Landing-flare/touchdown: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Cessna 172M, 100 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=2072418), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot reported that, during landing, the airplane bounced, and the pilot attempted to hold the airplane level to bleed off airspeed. The airplane then bounced three more times, and its pitch increased after each bounce. After the fourth bounce, the airplane ballooned, and the pilot applied back pressure to the yoke. Subsequently, the airplane’s pitch decreased rapidly, and the airplane impacted the runway surface in a nose low attitude. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the forward fuselage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operations. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N20490](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N20490), registered now, S/N 17261333 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: CESSNA 172M - Registry model: [Cessna 172M](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172m) (registry code 2072418) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming O-320-E2D](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-o-320-e2d) (registry code 42123, 4 cycle) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 17261333 - Year built: 1973 - Engines: Lycoming O-320 E2D 150 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: 100 hour, July 16, 2025 - Departed: CVO, Corvallis, OR - Destination: Same as departure - Airport: S12, Albany Municipal Airport, runway 34, 3,004 × 75 ft, asphalt - Equipment: Stall warning system ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 70; injuries: none; commercial; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 3, with waivers/limitations; last flight review June 16, 2025; seat: left; restraint: 4-point; flight hours: 720.2 total, 143.6 in this make and model, 302.5 as pilot in command, 32.4 in the last 90 days, 3.3 in the last 30 days, 0.2 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 210° at 9 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 4,800 ft overcast - Temperature: 63 °F, dew point 54 °F - Altimeter: 30.01 inHg - Turbulence: Light - Observed at: KEUG, 31 nm away - METAR: METAR KEUG 180954Z AUTO 21009KT 10SM OVC048 17/12 A3001 RMK AO2 SLP160 T01670117= ## 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 20250818015019A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20250818015019A), Aug 18, 2025: Cessna 172M, Albany, OR, Substantial damage. On August 18, 2025, between 1600-1720 PST, the pilot departed corvallis municipal airport (cvo) direct to Albany Municipal Airport (S12). While conducting… ## Docket (2 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on November 4, 2025, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=201731. 7.5 MB in all. - Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 11 pages, 7.2 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=19373618&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=6120_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Photo array (item 2, PDF, 2 pages, 380 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=19373698&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Photo%20array-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.