Cessna 172R accident near Fort Worth, Texas, April 28, 2011
On April 28, 2011 at about 9:15 pm local time, a Cessna 172R, registered N411ES, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Fort Worth, Texas (Fort Worth Spinks airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The student pilot's improper recovery from the bounced landing and the flight instructor's delayed remedial action.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 28, 2011 · about 9:15 pm local time
- Place
- Fort Worth, Texas · Fort Worth Spinks · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172R · all 172Rs on the register
- Registration
- N411ES · registry record · serial 17280223
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The student pilot was performing touch-and-go takeoffs and landings when the airplane touched down and bounced. During the attempted recovery, the airplane stalled, rolled left, and impacted the ground. According to the flight instructor, he attempted to take control of the airplane, but the student continued to pull back on the airplane's control yoke. The student pilot reported that when requested to relinquish the flight controls, he did so. The airplane's left wing and fuselage sustained substantial damage during the accident. The flight instructor reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane prior to the accident.
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
- Loss of control in flight during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Delayed action › Instructor/check pilot
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Student pilot
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 344 hours in all; 201 in this make and model; 107 in the last 90 days; 30 in the last 30 days; 201 as pilot in command; 102 on instruments
- Last flight review: January 2, 2011
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Dual student
- Flight time: 32 hours in all; 32 in this make and model; 24 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360 SER (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: GKY Arlington TX at 8:30 pm
- Destination: FWS Fort Worth TX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 17R, 6,002 ft by 100 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 77°F (25°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | 1 |
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.
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.