Probable cause
The student pilot’s failure to maintain proper airspeed and attitude for a short field landing. Contributing to the accident was the flight instructor’s delayed remedial action.
NTSB analysis
The student pilot was attempting a short field landing. While on final approach he slowed to just above 70 knots. Just after this, the instructor noticed the pitch attitude increase and the airspeed decrease so he called out, “go around, go, go!” and attempted to help advance the throttle but the student was already doing it. The airplane landed just beyond the runway numbers and then became airborne again. The student and instructor completed the traffic pattern and landed uneventfully. The flight instructor examined the main landing gear and did not find any damage present, so they returned to their home base whereupon the flight instructor found substantial damage to the structure for the vertical stabilizer. The flight instructor reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions of failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for CEN26LA011 for the full record.
Event
- Date
- Oct 1, 2025
- Type
- Accident
- Place
- Portage, Wisconsin
- Nearest airport
- Portage Muni (C47)
- Highest injury
- None
- Weather
- Visual (VMC)
- Light
- Day
Cirrus Design Corp SR20
- N-number
- N78RC
- Category
- Airplane
- Year built
- 2002
- Damage
- Substantial
- Operating rule
- Part 91 (general aviation)
- Purpose of flight
- Instructional
From the NTSB aviation accident database: N-registered aircraft, events since 2008, data through Oct 28, 2026. The file is published monthly, so the latest weeks are incomplete and recent records can change. The official source is the NTSB aviation investigation search. CheckAero is independent and not affiliated with the NTSB.