Probable cause
The student pilot’s failure to maintain adequate airspeed and his exceedance of the airplane’s critical angle of attack during an attempted go-around, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall.
NTSB analysis
The solo student pilot reported that, during landing, the airplane "ballooned up and [he] added a little throttle [to] settle the [airplane]." He added that "the [airplane] seemed to settle but felt like it was coming down too fast." He applied full power to go around and reduced the flaps to 20°. He added that "the [airplane] was stalling and so [he] moved the flaps to 0 degrees, which caused the plane to continue to stall." Subsequently, the airplane impacted the ground.
The airplane sustained substantial damage to the wings and empennage.
The student pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for GAA17CA327 for the full record.
Event
- Date
- Jun 6, 2017
- Type
- Accident
- Place
- Tooele, Utah
- Nearest airport
- Bolinder Field-Tooele Valley (TVY)
- Highest injury
- None
- Weather
- Visual (VMC)
- Light
- Day
Cessna 172
- N-number
- N741TW
- Category
- Airplane
- Year built
- 2008
- 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.