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CEN25LA095

2025-02-06 · Waco, Texas, United States · None · 1 aircraft · Status: Completed

Airport CNW

Current FAA registration · N798SP

Make / Model
CESSNA 172S
Year of manufacture
2001 · 24 years old at event
Engine
LYCOMING I0360 SER (180 hp)
Seats / Engines
4 seats · 1 engine
Last airworthiness date
20010207
ADS-B equipped
Yes — Mode-S AAD75B

Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).

Aircraft involved

Probable cause & findings

The student pilot’s inadequate landing flare that led to a bounced landing, and her improper pitch control during the attempted recovery that resulted in a nose down pitch attitude upon the second touchdown.

Factual narrative

The student pilot reported that while conducting a solo flight she initially flared too high over the runway, but she decreased airplane pitch and continued with the landing. When she flared a second time, she did not use enough aft elevator input and the airplane landed flat, bounced, and then landed on the nose landing gear. After coming to a full stop, she notified the tower that she was unable to taxi, shutdown the engine, and exited the airplane at which point she saw that the propeller had struck the runway during the landing. Additional examination of the airframe revealed buckling of the lower fuselage structure. The chief pilot of the flight school reported that there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation of the airplane. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database Retrieved: 2026-02-12

NTSB Findings

FAA avdata. C = Cause, F = Factor.

  • — Aircraft-Aircraft oper/perf/capability-Performance/control parameters-Pitch control-Incorrect use/operation
  • — Personnel issues-Task performance-Use of equip/info-Aircraft control-Pilot

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_2025_CEN25LA095.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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