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CEN12CA213

2012-03-24 · Council Bluffs, Iowa, United States · None · 1 aircraft · Status: Completed

Airport KCBF

Current FAA registration · N368ES

Make / Model
CESSNA 172R
Year of manufacture
1997 · 15 years old at event
Engine
LYCOMING I0360 SER (180 hp)
Seats / Engines
4 seats · 1 engine
Last airworthiness date
19970328
ADS-B equipped
Yes — Mode-S A42A79

Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).

Aircraft involved

Probable cause & findings

The student pilot’s improper flare and inadequate recovery from a bounced landing, which resulted in a loss of directional control.

Factual narrative

A student pilot was practicing takeoff and landings. He reported that he flared early and the airplane ballooned. The airplane then bounced firmly several times. The pilot lost direction control of the airplane and the airplane departed the side of the runway colliding with an airfield light. A postaccident examination of the airplane revealed damage to the firewall and fuselage. No other anomalies were found. The student pilot was practicing takeoffs and landings. He reported that he flared the airplane early and that it ballooned before bouncing firmly several times. The pilot subsequently lost directional control of the airplane, which then departed the side of the runway and collided with an airfield light. A postaccident examination of the airplane revealed damage to the firewall and fuselage. No other anomalies were found. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database Retrieved: 2026-02-12

NTSB Findings

FAA avdata. C = Cause, F = Factor.

  • C Aircraft-Aircraft oper/perf/capability-Performance/control parameters-Directional control-Not attained/maintained - C
  • C Personnel issues-Action/decision-Action-Incorrect action performance-Pilot - C
  • C Aircraft-Aircraft oper/perf/capability-Performance/control parameters-Landing flare-Incorrect use/operation - C

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_2012_CEN12CA213.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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