Cessna 172N accident near Moline, Illinois, November 15, 2012
On November 15, 2012 at about 9:00 pm local time, a Cessna 172N, registered N6231F, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Moline, Illinois (Quad City 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 misjudgment of the landing flare, which resulted in a bounced landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 15, 2012 · about 9:00 pm local time
- Place
- Moline, Illinois · Quad City International · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172N · all 172Ns on the register
- Registration
- N6231F · registry record · serial 17273170
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The student pilot reported that the accident occurred during his initial solo flight. He stated that the takeoff and flight in the traffic pattern were without incident. However, during the first landing, the airplane bounced twice before settling onto the runway, and he elected to return to the ramp area. A postaccident examination revealed substantial damage to the firewall, with additional damage to the nose landing gear and propeller. A left crosswind at 8 knots was reported about the time of the accident. The student pilot reported that there were no failures or malfunctions related to the airplane before 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
- Abnormal runway contact during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Landing flare › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Student/instructed pilot
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 11 hours in all; 11 in this make and model; 11 in the last 90 days; 11 in the last 30 days; 1 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: November 14, 2012
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,603 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 19, 2012
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-H2D (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Flying Country Club Inc.
The flight
- Departed from: MLI Moline IL at 8:55 pm
- Destination: MLI Moline IL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 27, 10,002 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 210° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 54°F (12°C), dew point 28°F (-2°C)
- Altimeter: 30.28 inHg
- Observation at 8:52 pm from MLI, 1 miles away
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.
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.