NTSB CAROL · Event
Event DEN00LA114
Registry · N738WE
FAA Aircraft Registry record.
Make / Model
CESSNA 172N
Year of manufacture
1978 · 22 years old at event
Engine
LYCOMING 0-320 SERIES (180 hp)
Seats / Engines
4 seats · 1 engine
Last airworthiness date
19780131
ADS-B equipped
Yes — Mode-S A9EABC
Registrant of record
BRAY AVIATION LLC
Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).
Aircraft involved
Probable cause & findings
The pilot's improper flare and his inadequate recovery from a bounced landing.
Factual narrative
On June 18, 2000, at 1110 mountain daylight time, a Cessna 172N, N738WE, was substantially damaged following a loss of control during landing at Double Eagle II Airport, Albuquerque, New Mexico. The student pilot, the sole occupant of the airplane, was not injured. The airplane was being operated by West Mesa Aviation, Albuquerque, New Mexico. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the local instructional flight that originated approximately 15 minutes before the accident. No flight plan had been filed. The student pilot, on his second solo, said that he encountered a downdraft, and landed hard. He said that the airplane bounced into the air and then landed hard a second time. Then the airplane oscillated back and forth in a porpoise like fashion. Subsequently the nose wheel landing gear was broken off, and the firewall was buckled. The student pilot, on his second solo, said that he encountered a downdraft, and landed hard. He said that the airplane bounced into the air and then landed hard a second time. Then the airplane oscillated back and forth in a porpoise like fashion. Subsequently the nose wheel landing gear was broken off, and the firewall was buckled. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12
Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file
NTSB_2000_DEN00LA114.txt.
Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb.
Full investigation docket on
data.ntsb.gov ↗.
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Related research
What the literature says.
Academic papers and agency reports matching this event's aircraft type or causal vocabulary (loss of control). Sourced from NASA NTRS, NTSB Safety Studies, FAA CAMI, AOPA Air Safety Institute, Embry-Riddle Scholarly Commons, arXiv, and the Semantic Scholar academic graph.
- NASA NTRS 2019 · Conference Paper
Crash Testing and Simulation of a Cessna 172 Aircraft: Pitch Down Impact Onto Soft Soil
During the summer of 2015, NASA Langley Research Center conducted three full-scale crash tests of Cessna 172 (C-172) aircraft at the NASA Langley Landing and Impact Research (LandIR) Facility.
- NASA NTRS 2019 · Technical Memorandum (TM)
Simulating the Impact Response of Three Full-Scale Crash Tests of Cessna 172 Aircraft
During the summer of 2015, a series of three full-scale crash tests were performed at the Landing and Impact Research Facility located at NASA Langley Research Center of Cessna 172 aircraft.
- Embry-Riddle Scholarly Commons 2025 · Journal article (JAAER)
A Scoping Review of Aviation Loss of Control Inflight Research
Loss of control – inflight (LOC-I) contributes to aircraft accidents at unacceptably high rates. Significant industry efforts and research have aimed to improve LOC-I prevention, detection, and recove…
- SKYbrary (Eurocontrol) 2024 · SKYbrary article
Loss of Control In-Flight (LOC-I) — SKYbrary Knowledge Base
SKYbrary comprehensive knowledge-base entry on Loss of Control In-Flight — definitions, contributing factors, accident case studies (Air France 447, Colgan 3407), and prevention strategies.
- NTSB Aircraft Accident Reports 2022 · Accident report
Loss of Control on Takeoff in Icing Conditions — Citation 560XL
Cessna Citation 560XL fatal takeoff icing accident, March 2018. Investigation of a Citation 560XL loss-of-control takeoff accident in icing conditions.
- Semantic Scholar 2021 · Article (Aviation)
ANALYSIS OF GENERAL AVIATION FIXED-WING AIRCRAFT ACCIDENTS INVOLVING INFLIGHT LOSS OF CONTROL USING A STATE-BASED APPROACH
Inflight loss of control (LOC-I) is a significant cause of General Aviation (GA) fixed-wing aircraft accidents. The United States National Transportation Safety Board’s database provides a rich source…
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