Cessna 172 accident near La Grange, Texas, September 2, 2019
On September 2, 2019 at about 8:15 pm local time, a 1999 Cessna 172, registered N212BS, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near La Grange, Texas (Fayette Regional airport). It was a personal 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's improper flare, which resulted in a hard landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 2, 2019 · about 8:15 pm local time
- Place
- La Grange, Texas · Fayette Regional · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172 S, built 1999 · all 172s on the register
- Registration
- N212BS · registry record · serial 172S8243
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The student pilot was conducting a solo cross-country flight. Upon arriving at the destination airport, he overflew the runway to determine the wind direction from the windsock then performed a normal approach. He stated that, during the landing flare, a gust of wind came from the right side and lifted the airplane. The airplane then landed hard, bounced once, then came to a stop, resulting in substantial damage to the firewall and a collapsed nose landing gear. Review of the wind conditions revealed a light right crosswind around the time of the accident. The pilot reported there were no mechanical malfunctions or anomalies with the airplane. The circumstances of the accident are consistent with an improper flare and hard landing.
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
- Landing gear collapse during landing
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Student/instructed pilot
- Personnel issues › Experience/knowledge › Experience/qualifications › Total experience › Student/instructed pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Descent/approach/glide path › Not attained/maintained
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Landing flare › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: student
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 21.2 hours in all; 21.2 in this make and model; 14.1 in the last 90 days; 4.9 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 9,888 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, August 17, 2019
- Maximum gross weight: 2,299 lb
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO360 SER (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Brazos Valley Flight Services
The flight
- Departed from: CLL College Station TX
- Destination: 3T5 La Grange TX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 34, 5,000 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 050° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 99°F (37°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 29.94 inHg
- Observation at 8:15 pm from 3T5
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.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number CEN19LA302.