Probable cause
The student pilot's improper recovery from a bounced landing.
NTSB analysis
The student pilot stated that she was completing her first solo cross-country flight. She landed the airplane on its main landing gear but it bounced. She then decreased the pitch of the airplane's nose, resulting in the nosewheel touching down independently of the main landing gear. The airplane's nosewheel strut broke loose from its attachments and was driven into the engine compartment, which resulted in substantial damage to the firewall. She was able to keep the airplane on the runway during the entire landing sequence and roll. She taxied the airplane off of the runway and did not report any mechanical anomalies with the aircraft.
Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for ERA11CA408 for the full record.
Event
- Date
- Jul 1, 2011
- Type
- Accident
- Place
- Cambridge, Maryland
- Nearest airport
- Cambridge - Dorchester Airport (CGE)
- Highest injury
- None
- Weather
- Visual (VMC)
- Light
- Day
Cessna 172S
- N-number
- N789EP
- Category
- Airplane
- Damage
- Substantial
- Operating rule
- Part 91 (general aviation)
- Purpose of flight
- Instructional
Other records under this N-number
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.