Cessna 172 accident near Pearland, Texas, December 11, 2009
On December 11, 2009 at about 10:30 pm local time, a Cessna 172, registered N172BJ, was substantially damaged in an accident during approach (VFR pattern final) near Pearland, Texas (Pearland Regional Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The student pilot's failure to control the airplane's descent rate during the short-field landing, resulting in a hard landing. Contributing to the accident was the flight examiner's delayed response.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 11, 2009 · about 10:30 pm local time
- Place
- Pearland, Texas · Pearland Regional Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172 M · all 172s on the register
- Registration
- N172BJ · no longer on the register · serial 17264243
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The student pilot stated that he was performing a short-field landing to runway 14 during his flight examination. Approximately 50 feet above ground level it was apparent to the pilot that he was not going to land on his intended touchdown point, and the flight examiner in the right seat directed the pilot to go around. The student pilot applied full power, however the airplane landed hard before becoming airborne again. The flight examiner took over the flight controls and successfully landed the airplane. An examination of the airplane revealed that the the nose gear was bent and that the firewall and fuselage skin aft of the nose gear was wrinkled. The pilot and examiner were not injured. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical anomalies with the airplane and that weather was not a factor.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Aerodynamic stall/spin during approach (VFR pattern final) defining event
- Abnormal runway contact during approach (VFR go-around)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Descent/approach/glide path › Not attained/maintained
- factor Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Delayed action › Designated examiner
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Student pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot, student
- Ratings: instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 980 hours in all; 40 in this make and model; 10 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Pilot (unmanned)
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot, private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: glider; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 16,000 hours in all; 1,000 in this make and model; 5,000 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O320 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: KLVJ Pearland TX at 8:00 pm
- Destination: KLVJ Pearland TX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 14, 4,313 ft by 75 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 070° at 12 knots, gusting 19
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 3,000 ft
- Temperature: 52°F (11°C), dew point 39°F (4°C)
- Altimeter: 30.15 inHg
- Observation at 10:53 pm from KLVJ
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Other NTSB records under N172BJ the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.