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GAA15CA140

2015-06-25 · Traverse City, Michigan, United States · None · 1 aircraft · Status: Completed

Airport KTVC

Current FAA registration · N195NW

Make / Model
CESSNA 172S
Year of manufacture
2011 · 4 years old at event
Engine
LYCOMING IO-360-L2A (180 hp)
Seats / Engines
4 seats · 1 engine
Last airworthiness date
20110517
ADS-B equipped
Yes — Mode-S A17BFF

Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).

Aircraft involved

Probable cause & findings

The student pilot's failure to maintain pitch control during the landing, resulting in a hard landing.

Factual narrative

In a written statement provided by the flight instructor, the solo student pilot porpoised during the landing, came to a full stop, and taxied to the ramp. A post-flight inspection revealed substantial damage to the firewall, the underside of the fuselage, and the floor under the rudder pedals. The flight instructor reported no pre-impact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation. In a written statement provided by the flight instructor, the solo student pilot porpoised during the landing, came to a full stop, and taxied to the ramp. A post-flight inspection revealed substantial damage to the firewall, the underside of the fuselage, and the floor under the rudder pedals. The flight instructor reported no pre-impact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database Retrieved: 2026-02-12

NTSB Findings

FAA avdata. C = Cause, F = Factor.

  • C Personnel issues-Task performance-Use of equip/info-Aircraft control-Student/instructed pilot - C
  • C Aircraft-Aircraft oper/perf/capability-Performance/control parameters-Pitch control-Not attained/maintained - C

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_2015_GAA15CA140.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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