Cessna 172S accident near West Bend, Wisconsin, September 13, 2023
On September 13, 2023 at about 9:46 pm local time, a 2002 Cessna 172S, registered N529ER, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near West Bend, Wisconsin (West Bend Muni 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 pilot’s inadequate landing flare that resulted in a hard landing and impact with the runway.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 13, 2023 · about 9:46 pm local time · cases in 2023
- Place
- West Bend, Wisconsin · West Bend Muni · 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 172S, built 2002 · all 172Ss on the register
- Registration
- N529ER · registry record · serial 172S9111
- 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 he was conducting a solo cross-country flight and while landing, the nose wheel of the airplane contacted the runway surface hard. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the forward fuselage, firewall, and floorboard areas. The student pilot reported no preaccident mechanical malfunction/failure of the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. In the recommendation section of his submitted NTSB form 6120.1 Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident/Incident Report, he noted the need to watch [air]speed on landing, control the descent, and avoid pushing down on the yoke.
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 defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Landing flare › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 160 hours in all; 160 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 2,558 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
The flight
- Departed from: GRB Green Bay WI at 2:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 31, 4,494 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 030° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 30.23 inHg
- Observation at 10:15 am from KETB
Weather report (METAR): METAR KETB 091515Z AUTO 03004KT 10SM CLR 17/13 A3023 RMK AO2=
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Photographs from the investigation 3 pictures from the NTSB's docket, as the NTSB released them
Photograph 1 – View of underside of fuselage showing buckled fuselage skins
Photograph 2 – View showing buckled firewall near nose landing gear mount
Photograph 3 – View showing buckled floor boards inside fuselageThe 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 September 4, 2024. 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 | Record of Conversation with Pilot | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 3 | Photographs of the Accident Airplane | 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
- N529ER on the register today · the tail number may have moved to another aircraft since
- Cessna 172 Skyhawk 20,680 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Cessna 72,684 aircraft on the register
- West Bend Municipal · nearest airport
- Green Bay/Austin Straubel International · departed from
- Accidents and incidents in Wisconsin 1,622 since 1982 · 228 in the last ten years
- Wisconsin 6,164 aircraft registered
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/CEN23LA430.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.