Probable cause
The student pilot's improper flare and recovery from a bounced landing.
NTSB analysis
According to the student pilot, he departed from the airport and was performing supervised solo takeoffs and landings. During the first landing, the airplane impacted the runway with the nose landing gear first and bounced several times; he subsequently initiated a go-around and landed again uneventfully. The student pilot's flight instructor, who witnessed the event, stated that the accident was "a matter of judgment call and inexperience." While putting the airplane away, the student pilot and his flight instructor noticed damage to the nose landing gear and the propeller. An inspection performed by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed damage to the firewall. No mechanical malfunctions or failures were reported by the student pilot and his flight instructor.
Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for ERA10CA241 for the full record.
Event
- Date
- Apr 24, 2010
- Type
- Accident
- Place
- Wurtsboro, New York
- Nearest airport
- Wurtsboro-Sullivan County (N82)
- Highest injury
- None
- Weather
- Instrument (IMC)
- Light
- Day
Cessna 172P
- N-number
- N51231
- Category
- Airplane
- 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.