Textron Aviation INC 172S accident near Janesville, Wisconsin, September 24, 2024
On September 24, 2024 at about 4:15 pm local time, a 2023 Textron Aviation INC 172S, registered N281EA, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Janesville, Wisconsin (Southern Wisconsin Regional Ai 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The student pilot’s improper flare and the flight instructor’s delayed remedial action that resulted in a hard, bounced landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 24, 2024 · about 4:15 pm local time
- Place
- Janesville, Wisconsin · Southern Wisconsin Regional Ai · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Textron Aviation INC 172S, built 2023
- Registration
- N281EA · registry record · serial 172S13043
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During the student pilot’s second instructional flight, he performed an uneventful touch and go landing. When the student was on final for his second touch and go landing, about 25 ft above the runway, he initiated an early flare and pitched the airplane down which led to a sharp descent toward the runway. The airplane landed hard and bounced on the runway. The flight instructor took the controls and initiated a go-around. The flight instructor assisted the student on one more touch and go landing, then made a full stop landing. During a post-flight inspection, substantial damage (buckling) was found on the underside of the empennage and the firewall. The flight instructor reported that the accident could have been prevented by initiating a go around earlier. No mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane were reported.
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
- Abnormal runway contact during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
- Hard landing during landing
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Use of equip/system › Student/instructed pilot
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Delayed action › Instructor/check pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Landing flare › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: instrument airplane; instructor: instrument helicopter; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 489 hours in all; 215 in this make and model; 44 in the last 90 days; 19 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 3 hours in all; 3 in this make and model; 3 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: None
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 849 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 16, 2024
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-L2A (piston); 869 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 04, 6,701 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 54°F (12°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 29.84 inHg
- Observation at 11:15 pm from KJVL
Weather report (METAR): KJVL 250415Z AUTO 00000KT 5SM BR CLR 12/12 A2984 RMK AO2
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 2 |
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 docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site 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 CEN24LA379.