Cessna 172S accident near Grand Forks, North Dakota, July 10, 2012
On July 10, 2012 at about 2:40 pm local time, a Cessna 172S, registered N548ND, 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; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The student pilot’s inadequate landing flare, which resulted in a hard landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 10, 2012 · about 2:40 pm local time
- Place
- Grand Forks, North Dakota · Grand Forks International · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172S · all 172Ss on the register
- Registration
- N548ND · registry record · serial 172S11050
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the student pilot, he entered the downwind leg for the runway as instructed by the tower controller. The airplane was stabilized on final approach, but the student pilot initiated the landing flare too late, resulting in a hard landing. As he turned onto the taxiway to complete the after-landing checklist, he discovered that the nosewheel tire had deflated. A postaccident examination revealed that the firewall and floorboard panels were wrinkled. The student pilot reported no preaccident anomalies or failures that would have prevented 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
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Delayed action › Student pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Landing flare › Not attained/maintained
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 60 hours in all; 60 in this make and model; 38 in the last 90 days; 15 in the last 30 days; 3 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,658 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, June 27, 2012; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 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 1:15 pm
- Destination: KGFK Grand Forks ND
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 17L, 3,900 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 250° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 30.12 inHg
- Observation at 2:53 pm from KGFK
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 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.
Other NTSB records under N548ND 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.