Probable cause
The student pilot's failure to maintain pitch control during the landing, which resulted in a hard landing.
NTSB analysis
The flight instructor reported that during landing, the student pilot landed the airplane on its main landing gear, the airplane bounced, and then landed flat on the main landing gear and nose wheel at the same time. At the end of the instructional lesson, the airplane landed at the flight school without further incident. A hard landing was reported to the maintenance department and a postflight inspection revealed substantial damage to the firewall.
The flight instructor reported there were no pre-impact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation.
Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for GAA16CA059 for the full record.
Event
- Date
- Nov 16, 2015
- Type
- Accident
- Place
- Westminster, Maryland
- Nearest airport
- Carroll County Rgnl/Jack B Poa (DMW)
- Highest injury
- None
- Weather
- Visual (VMC)
- Light
- Day
Cessna 172R
- N-number
- N26499
- Category
- Airplane
- Year built
- 1999
- 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.