Cessna 172K accident near Conway, Arkansas, January 1, 2023
On January 1, 2023 at about 8:00 pm local time, a 1968 Cessna 172K, registered N7003G, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Conway, Arkansas (Conway Regional 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 solo student pilot’s improper landing flare and subsequent improper recovery from a bounced landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 1, 2023 · about 8:00 pm local time · cases in 2023
- Place
- Conway, Arkansas · Conway Regional Airport · cases near this airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172K, built 1968 · all 172Ks on the register
- Registration
- N7003G · no longer on the register · serial 17258703
- 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, during landing, the airplane bounced and began too “fishtail” and he lost control of the airplane. When the pilot regained control of the airplane, the right main landing gear was off the runway and the airplane exited the runway into muddy ground. The airplane nose wheel became stuck, and the airplane nosed over and came to rest inverted. The airplane sustained substantial damage to wings and vertical stabilizer. The student pilot 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 on ground during landing (landing roll)
- Abnormal runway contact during landing defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Student/instructed pilot
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Incorrect action performance › Student/instructed pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Landing flare › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 22 hours in all; 22 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,224 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, December 7, 2022
- Maximum gross weight: 2,200 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming 0-320E2D (piston); 4,724 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 22, 5,500 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 11 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 20°F (-7°C), dew point -39°F (-39°C)
- Altimeter: 29.88 inHg
Weather report (METAR): METAR KCXW 011955Z AUTO 18011KT 10SM CLR 20/M39 A2988 RMK
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Photographs from the investigation 4 pictures from the NTSB's docket, as the NTSB released them
Photo 1: Accident Airplane / Damage to the left-wing strut – (Photo
Photo 2: Accident Airplane / Damage to the right wing – (Photo
Photo 3: Accident Airplane / Damage to the top of the right wing – (Photo
Photo 4: Accident Airplane / Damage to the vertical stabilizer – (PhotoThe 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
2 documents, released by the NTSB on April 20, 2023. 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, 4 pages · our copy | 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
- N7003G: not on the register today · the record of its deregistration
- Cessna 172 Skyhawk 20,687 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Cessna 72,682 aircraft on the register
- Engine: Lycoming 0-320E2D 258 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Conway Regional · nearest airport
- Accidents and incidents in Arkansas 1,582 since 1982 · 177 in the last ten years
- Arkansas 3,494 aircraft registered
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/CEN23LA073.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.