Cessna 172S accident near Grand Forks, North Dakota, June 13, 2013
On June 13, 2013 at about 6:30 pm local time, a Cessna 172S, registered N552ND, was substantially damaged in an accident during approach (VFR go-around) near Grand Forks, North Dakota (Grand Forks International airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The student pilot’s inadequate recovery from a bounced landing, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall during the go-around.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 13, 2013 · about 6:30 pm local time
- Place
- Grand Forks, North Dakota · Grand Forks International · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172S · all 172Ss on the register
- Registration
- N552ND · registry record · serial 172S10859
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The solo student pilot was attempting to land the airplane on the runway. His first attempt to land was too fast, so he performed a go-around. During the second attempted landing, the airplane landed hard and bounced. The student initiated a second go-around and pitched the nose up 10 to15 degrees. During the climb, the airplane rolled left, stalled, and then impacted the ground. An examination of the airplane did not reveal any preimpact malfunctions or failure 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)
- Aerodynamic stall/spin during approach (VFR go-around) defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during uncontrolled descent
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Student pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Airspeed › Not attained/maintained
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 87 hours in all; 87 in this make and model; 17 in the last 90 days; 9 in the last 30 days; 1 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,258 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, May 24, 2013
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-L2A (piston); 5,486 hours total
- Operator: University Of North Dakota
The flight
- Departed from: KGFK Grand Forks ND at 5:00 pm
- Destination: KGFK Grand Forks ND
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 17R, 7,351 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 040° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 30.07 inHg
- Observation at 6:38 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.
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.