Cessna 172N accident near Auburn, Indiana, May 19, 2022
On May 19, 2022 at about 3:21 pm local time, a 1978 Cessna 172N, registered N2128E, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Auburn, Indiana (Dekalb County 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 student pilot’s improper landing flare and the flight instructor’s delayed remedial response which resulted in an aerodynamic stall.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 19, 2022 · about 3:21 pm local time · cases in 2022
- Place
- Auburn, Indiana · Dekalb County Airport · cases near this airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172N, built 1978 · all 172Ns on the register
- Registration
- N2128E · registry record · serial 17271165
- 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 shortly before touchdown, the student pilot flared too low, overcorrected, and the airplane ballooned. The instructor then took the flight controls and initiated a go around; however, the airplane entered an aerodynamic stall, went to the left, and landed hard. The left wing impacted the ground and the airplane rolled off the runway and came to rest in the grass. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the outboard portion of the left wing. The flight instructor reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
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
- Loss of control in flight during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Psychological › Attention/monitoring › Monitoring other person › Instructor/check pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Landing flare › Not attained/maintained
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
Dual student
- Flight time: 19 hours in all; 7 in this make and model; 6 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days; 0 as pilot in command; 0 on instruments
- Medical certificate: None
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Flight instructor
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 434 hours in all; 288 in this make and model; 37 in the last 90 days; 17 in the last 30 days; 402 as pilot in command; 41 on instruments
- Last flight review: September 9, 2021
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,801.4 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 5, 2021
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming 0-320-H2AD (piston); 4,144 hours total
- Operator: Century Aviation
The flight
- Departed from: KGWB Auburn IN at 2:40 pm
- Destination: KGWB Auburn IN
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 27, 5,000 ft by 100 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 200° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 59°F (15°C)
- Altimeter: 29.78 inHg
- Observation at 11:15 am from KGWB
Weather report (METAR): KGWB 191515Z AUTO 20005KT 7SM CLR 19/15 A2978 RMK AO2
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 |
Photographs from the investigation 2 pictures from the NTSB's docket, as the NTSB released them
The NTSB's photographs with the NTSB's captions, at screen size. Open a picture to see it full size or to report one that should not be shown.
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
3 documents, released by the NTSB on July 27, 2022. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Photos | PDF, 2 pages · our copy | View Download |
| 3 | Student Pilot Statement | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N2128E on the register today · the tail number may have moved to another aircraft since
- Cessna 172 Skyhawk 20,687 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Cessna 72,682 aircraft on the register
- Engine: Lycoming 0-320-H2AD 83 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Auburn/Dekalb Executive · nearest airport
- Auburn/Dekalb Executive · departed from
- Accidents and incidents in Indiana 1,367 since 1982 · 179 in the last ten years
- Indiana 5,704 aircraft registered
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/CEN22LA205.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.