Cessna 172S N539ND accident near Grand Forks, North Dakota

Probable cause

The flight instructor’s delayed remedial action to the student pilot’s bounced landing and subsequent loss of aircraft control.

NTSB analysis

The flight instructor reported that his student was practicing landings, and the airplane touched down right of the runway centerline and began to bounce as the student attempted to realign with the centerline. The flight instructor indicated that a wind gust was likely responsible for the initial bounce, but the airplane continued to bounce with an escalating intensity. He noted that on the third or fourth bounce he assumed control of the airplane in order to abort the landing. He reported that before he could establish a climb the airplane experienced an additional hard landing. He regained control and landed the airplane without further incident. The operator reported that there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation of the airplane.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for CEN11LA386 for the full record.