Cessna 172S accident near Grand Forks, North Dakota, June 13, 2011
On June 13, 2011 at about 5:10 pm local time, a Cessna 172S, registered N539ND, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Grand Forks, North Dakota (Grand Forks International airport). It was an instructional 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 flight instructor’s delayed remedial action to the student pilot’s bounced landing and subsequent loss of aircraft control.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 13, 2011 · about 5:10 pm local time
- Place
- Grand Forks, North Dakota · Grand Forks International · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172S · all 172Ss on the register
- Registration
- N539ND · registry record · serial 172S10850
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The flight instructor reported that his student was practicing landings, and the airplane touched down right of the runway centerline and began to bounce as the student attempted to realign with the centerline. The flight instructor indicated that a wind gust was likely responsible for the initial bounce, but the airplane continued to bounce with an escalating intensity. He noted that on the third or fourth bounce he assumed control of the airplane in order to abort the landing. He reported that before he could establish a climb the airplane experienced an additional hard landing. He regained control and landed the airplane without further incident. The operator reported that there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation of the airplane.
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
- Hard landing during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
- Abnormal runway contact during landing (flare/touchdown)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Landing flare › Incorrect use/operation
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Student pilot
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Delayed action › Instructor/check pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › (general) › Not attained/maintained
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,401 hours in all; 718 in this make and model; 138 in the last 90 days; 45 in the last 30 days; 1,126 as pilot in command; 1,101 on instruments
- Last flight review: October 28, 2010
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Dual student
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 242 hours in all; 0 in this make and model; 18 in the last 90 days; 0 in the last 30 days; 23 as pilot in command; 0 on instruments
- Last flight review: June 2, 2011
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,294 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, May 27, 2011
- Maximum gross weight: 2,558 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-L2A (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: University Of North Dakota
The flight
- Departed from: KGFK Grand Forks ND at 4:10 pm
- Destination: KGFK Grand Forks ND
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 17R, 7,349 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 160° at 22 knots, gusting 27
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 11,000 ft; scat at 2,300 ft
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 29.87 inHg
- Observation at 4:53 pm from KGFK
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.
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.