NTSB CAROL · Event
Event GAA15CA140
Registry · N195NW
FAA Aircraft Registry record.
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
Registrant of record
NORTHWESTERN MICHIGAN COLLEGE
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
Hierarchical cause / factor breakdown from the FAA bulk avdata database. Each finding tagged C (Cause) or 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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